THE IMPULSE TO MINISTER

When he saw the crowds he felt sorry for them because they were harassed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd...Mt. 9:36.

Jesus had such a tender knack to notice...people.  This is what the church is called to do.  This tells, as it did of Jesus, how we care about the masses.  He knew and we know that earth is crowded with those of us who look for love in the wrong places and seek happiness in pursuit of pleasing self.  That self has become such a strong god that has been factual since the days of Adam and Eve.

The New Birth of which God calls us to experience is for a quite simple reason.  It has within its scope the refreshing ability for one who has been born in the earthly sense already to be born one more time.  To start life over is a gift for the heart of every man and woman which can hardly be fathomed.  Well....can't be fathomed; but simply believed.

You and I are to take on the heart of Jesus.  His Spirit resides in the born-again-ones for a reason.  Others need help.  They need encouragement, direction, and new life. What could be more fascinating than going through the earth-walk with eyes for the crowds knowing that they are harassed and dejected and, yet, we know the way of escape from such daily treachery because that's precisely what we found.

We know the One...lots of people do.  But just as I didn't always, there are many others who have yet to run into him.  Some are suspicious while others aren't buying it.  I was both.  But this idea of a Living God truly rescuing the strugglers has certainly given me the impulse to minister.  Maybe you could encourage those crowded around your path.  They too are often harassed and dejected.  These might just be more open to pondering the possibility of starting life over.

That's what I did.  That's what we do because we treasure--absolutely love--the people along our paths.