By Jim
Garner
Quote: “Remember that even Jesus’ most scathing denunciation
– a blistering diatribe against the religious leaders of Jerusalem in Matthew
23 – ends with Christ weeping over Jerusalem. Compassion colored everything He
did.” - John MacArthur
Our Heavenly Father in all his creative genius has blessed us
with some amazing views to enjoy in this world. These snapshots can give us
pleasure, lead us to reflect, challenge us to imagine, fill us with a sense of
awe, or simply flood us with all of the aforementioned. A favorite view of mine
is when I can gaze across a sea of shining lights in the midst of darkness. Some
examples include: landing in an airplane through the clouds and looking at
thousands upon thousands of lights scattered for miles across the Metroplex or
driving outside the city lights in the countryside and gazing up into the
heavens on a clear night to see the endless stars shining brightly above us.
The endless lights lead me to reflect on eternity and to
consider the destiny of countless numbers of people who inhabit this planet. I
wonder in each light or star about people, and if they have had a personal
encounter with Almighty God to become His follower? There are so many out there
(over 7 billion people live on planet Earth) and I ponder Has anyone told them about Jesus. Will it be a missionary, pastor,
or neighbor? Will it be you or me?
A couple of years ago I had the opportunity to go to India
with Caleb and a few graduates on a short-term mission trip. On the way there
we changed planes in London and had several hours to enjoy sightseeing famous
tourist sites. I was amazed at how many people were there in this extremely
large city and the crowds as we moved about on the train and walking in the
streets. But then my mind was blown the next day when we got to Mumbai, the
largest city in India, and saw people that seemed more numerous than any sea of
stars in the nighttime sky or lights at night scattered across the largest
American cities. There were people everywhere – and I mean that literally. Did
I say there were lots of people? Everywhere?
It was exhilarating and challenging at the same time to be in
the crowds whether we were walking down the streets or riding a train to our
next mission project packed like sardines. But at times, as I felt myself
gasping for air pressed against other people or sweating profusely in the
crowds, I began to sense there was something spiritual here. There was a point
to the madness of these crowds.
“Then Jesus went to all the towns and villages,
teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and
healing every disease and every sickness. When He saw the crowds, He felt
compassion for them, because they were weary and worn out, like sheep without a
shepherd.” (Matt. 9:35-36)
In that moment, just as I had experienced gazing into the
skies or looking at the bright lights of a city, there were endless amounts of
people that needed the same Jesus I have been blessed to experience for much of
my life. These people made up a crowd that Jesus cared about just as he did in
this passage when he was traveling and ministering. Jesus easily could have
missed the crowds due to his busyness of travel, teaching, preaching, and
healing every day. But he didn’t and we shouldn’t either. He saw them and felt
compassion because they were in need, helpless like sheep without a shepherd,
the Bible says.
There are individual people making up these crowds that the
Lord wants us to see and hear with compassion that leads to action. It doesn’t
matter if it’s a few people crowded onto an elevator, hundreds more riding a
subway, or at a stadium like “Jerry’s World” in Arlington. Jesus cares about
each one of the “crowd” and desires for us to see them the same way he did –
with compassion.
Christ wept over Jerusalem and He weeps over the “crowds” of
lost people today that we walk or sit by. May we learn to see them as He does
and meet needs around us like never before.
