I will gladly be the first person to admit that I lack compassion. In fact, on occasion, it has been said that I lack nearly all emotion. This, of course, is not true, but for me, it is a daily struggle to display the traits of Christ.

When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things.

Mark 6:34 (ESV)

This story comes directly following the horrific death or Jesus’ cousin, John the Baptist. Jesus had gone out with his disciples to be alone for a time because great crowds followed him wherever he went. It never ceases to astound me how Jesus, having just lost someone so close to him, could go out and give so much of himself to so many people.

When I want to be alone, I want to be alone and everyone knows it. Jesus, not so much. He came to the multitude and fed them – spiritually and physically. This is a display of compassion at its very core – when a person is hurting and he is still able to still pour out of himself to feed a wanting crowd.

Where is your compassion? Are you so full that, even in your darkest hour, you are still able to pour out into others?

Daily Bible reading: Numbers 16-17, Mark 6:33-56