Mark 6:30-34
The apostles then rendezvoused with
Jesus and reported on all that they had done and taught. Jesus said,
“Come off by yourselves; let’s take a break and get a little rest.” For
there was constant coming and going. They didn’t even have time to eat.
So
they got in the boat and went off to a remote place by themselves.
Someone saw them going and the word got around. From the surrounding
towns people went out on foot, running, and got there ahead of them.
When Jesus arrived, he saw this huge crowd. At the sight of them, his
heart broke—like sheep with no shepherd they were. He went right to work
teaching them.
Scripture
quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002
by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs,
CO. All rights reserved.
We’re all aware of the adage,
“You can’t judge a book by its cover.” Such was the case in 1959, when
then 14-year-old Linda Balough was working a shift in a small
franchised shoe store in Owensboro, Kentucky. She recalled this day for
the June 2014 issue of AARP Bulletin. One Saturday during a local
tobacco market, a disheveled, rather dirty family of five came into the
Kentucky shoe store where Linda worked, and none of the employees would
wait on them. Linda was operating the cash register and noticed that
her colleagues looked the other way. One of them actually said to her
that this family smelled of coal and had on clothing that indicated that
they would not purchase anything, and that serving them would be a
total waste of time. So Linda grabbed her foot-measuring device and
approached the mother of the family – and asked her shoe size.
The
family ended up purchasing 10 pair of shoes. The father explained that
this was the time of year when he and his family brought their tobacco
to sell at market…and they outfitted everyone with shoes for the entire
year. He thanked Linda for being so respectful and helpful. As it
turns out…this was one of the store’s largest sales - of.the.year!
Timing
is everything. There are times when we should be bold…and times when
we need to take a step backward. There are times when we need to
rest…and times when we need to get the work done, no matter how tired we
may be. There are times when we are busy and cannot drop what we are
doing…and times when we need to totally change course – or our
preconceived notions about a person or situation – and meet that
immediate need.
Jesus knew that His disciples were tired and
needed a break. I am sure He longed to get away with them for a
while…to rest and hear their accounts of their ministries. But in the
middle of all of this, Jesus noticed a group of people who needed Him.
No doubt, some were dirty and disheveled. There were probably little
kids and crying babies in the crowd, as well as rowdy teenagers and a
few people who might have seemed like “unsavory characters” who were a
“total waste of time”. I’m sure it was a noisy, chaotic scene as these
people rushed to the beach. For whatever reason, they were coming to
see Jesus…and He sensed the urgency in the needs of many of them. So
Jesus stayed and ministered to the crowd…teaching, healing, and feeding
bodies and souls.
Where have we put our own desires above the
ministries of Jesus? Have we judged someone in an instant and deemed
them unworthy of our time and attention – and missed an opportunity to
share Christ’s love in the process? Are there times when we are so
dead-set on doing what we want that we leave someone who is truly in
need without an ally? Are our priorities just a little out of whack on
many occasions?
There are times when it is important to say
“No!”…to take time for ourselves…to focus on our own rest, relaxation,
and rejuvenation. But often, we choose this option selfishly…without
giving any consideration to what God is showing us or where He is
leading. Essentially, we say, “Not now, LORD…it’s MY turn,” or “LORD,
surely you can’t mean for me to associate with this person or
situation!” In both cases, we miss valuable opportunities for
discipleship and ministry…and for the blessings that God has in store
for us.
I am sure that the 14-year-old Kentucky girl who made one
of the store’s largest sales of the year was delighted – and received
accolades from management for her astute salesmanship. But the fact
that Linda recounts this story with such clarity some 55 years later
tells me that the impact on her life went far beyond dollars and cents -
and a “job-well-done” pat on the back. This young girl saw people who
were in need, and she dropped what she was doing – and any judgments –
and met them right where they were.
Where do we need to open our
eyes and ears to what God is calling us to do? Are we so in tune with
His voice that we know when to rest…and when to get busy serving others
in Jesus’ name? Are we blinded by judgment and our own selfishness…or do
we able to discern when God calls us to action – and go? Isn’t it time we learned to tell the difference? What is God calling you to do today?
©2014 Debbie Robus
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