Across Church Street
Weary and scattered
Those who minister to the weary and scattered can become weary and scattered themselves.
“But when [Jesus] saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.”
Most of my adult life I have traveled extensively. I've had literally thousands of opportunities to observe people in airports, on shuttles, in cars, and on sidewalks. People do look so weary. So scattered.
Now I do more listening than watching. Now I hear people's stories and my ears confirm my eyes. People really are weary and scattered.
When Jesus observed this, he told his disciples to pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest (Matt. 9:38).
It occurs to me: what if the Lord has already raised up laborers? And what if those laborers have become just as weary and scattered as the multitudes? Where might they be gathered? Where might they be refreshed?
Answers please
In his book Jesus Is the Question: The 307 Questions Jesus Asked and the 3 He Answered, Martin B. Copenhaver says the Gospels record Jesus being asked 183 questions. He directly answered 3.
Two maybes come to mind:
Maybe this imperfect follower should follow Jesus' example in this way too.
Maybe Jesus answers more of my prayers than I realize—just indirectly or in question form.
Right or left
Here's how I was raised: Be right or be left behind—heaven is for people who believe the right things and fight hard for them.
But I have placed my trust in Jesus. He shows me that we look through a glass darkly—that many issues are too complex to fit neatly into 'right' or 'wrong' categories. I've seen that God loves me and wants me to be with him so much that Jesus died to make that possible. I've discovered I've been declared the very righteousness of God—not based on my 'rightness' but based on his. I am Jesus' friend, I am a son, and I am an heir—despite my wrongness and brokenness. I'm not just headed in that direction, it's all true now. Already. This is who I am.
I am loved now as much as I will ever be loved. I am forgiven now as much as I will ever be forgiven. I don't have to be right. I'm not worried about being left. God enjoys me and I can live every moment of this life enjoying him.
- love
- friendship
- beauty
- thankful
- attunement
- communion
- discipline
- video
- hope
- hania rani
- holiness
- serving
- seth godin
- dean sherman
- across
- covenant
- music
- eternal life
- justice
- embodiment
- wonder
- gracious
- hesed
- welcome
- poetry
- rest
- image
- brokenness
- disruption
- invitation
- companion mode
- resonance
- steadfast
- observer mode
- framework
- pastoral
- oneness
- caritas
- difference
- shalom
- john stott
- worship
- status
- care
I practice the spiritual discipline of rescuing earthworms on paved surfaces. It's a reminder to me that I can pause what I'm doing, get a little dirty, and help. Also, that I've been given the responsibility to care.