Compassionate Gift

Mark 8: In those days, the multitude being very great and having nothing to eat, Jesus called His disciples to Him and said to them, ² “I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat. ³ And if I send them away hungry to their own houses, they will faint on the way; for some of them have come from afar.”

⁴ Then His disciples answered Him, “How can one satisfy these people with bread here in the wilderness?”

⁵ He asked them, “How many loaves do you have?”

And they said, “Seven.”

⁶ So He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. And He took the seven loaves and gave thanks, broke them and gave them to His disciples to set before them; and they set them before the multitude. ⁷ They also had a few small fish; and having blessed them, He said to set them also before them. ⁸ So they ate and were filled, and they took up seven large baskets of leftover fragments. ⁹ Now those who had eaten were about four thousand. And He sent them away, ¹⁰ immediately got into the boat with His disciples, and came to the region of Dalmanutha.

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Holes in jeans were becoming a fashion statement for most, but not for me. I was wearing holey jeans because I could not afford anything else. As I went to a meeting a friend of mine asked me a strange question. “What size shoe do you wear?” I told him and the next week he gave me a pair of his shoes.

• There have been many people who have shown me compassion.
• There have been many people who have poured mercy on me.
• There have been many people who have given me so much that I cannot return the favor.

What struck me the most about this passage is the fact that JESUS had been with the group for three days. HE healed them and taught them and prayed for them the entire time, meanwhile HE probably did not receive anything from the crowd. HE then turns around and shows HIS concern over their travel home.

• JESUS is thoroughly concerned about me.
• JESUS wants to feed me and watch over me.
• JESUS does so much for me without asking to be thanked.

While I cannot find someone saying “Thank YOU” to JESUS when they were miraculously fed, I can see it in their actions. They told other people about JESUS and HIS fame spread throughout the land. HIS compassion became contagious. HE wants me to learn from HIS heart.

• Do you have an opportunity to be compassionate to someone?
• Will you think of others today and give them your prayers?
• Will you thank GOD for what HE has done for you today?