Mark 6:34 says, “And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things.” This verse offers a model for how we can approach the many problems, spiritual and natural, in the church and in the world around us. Jesus did four things here: 

1. Jesus saw.

Jesus decided to see, to really look at, the many people around Him. So often we are so busy or self-occupied that we don’t even see the people around us and their real need but Jesus wasn’t like that. He saw them. He did not render people invisible but saw, recognized, and knew them. 

2. Jesus loved.

Jesus saw the people in need and “was moved with compassion.” He loved them right where they were with a moving, overwhelming love, a compassion from deep inside of Him. How often do we see people and really, truly, deeply, intensely love them? That is what Jesus did. And that is what He demands of us time after time after time (John 13:34-35; John 15:12; Romans 13:8; 1 Corinthians 13; 1 John 3:10-18; 1 Peter 1:22; etc.).

3. Jesus understood. 

The Bible says in the verse above that Jesus was moved with compassion “because they were as sheep not having a shepherd.” Matthew 9:36 shows Jesus moved with compassion when looking at the multitudes “because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.” Jesus had keen insight and perceptive understanding of the problem. Though we’re not God as He was, He has blessed us with spiritual understanding through our access to Him (especially through prayer and His Word), education and resources, knowledge and wisdom. It is not enough to see people and love them but not really understand what is going on (and thus what to do). 

4. Jesus did. 

In the last part of the verse we see Jesus teaching the people many things. Once He saw people, loved them deeply, and understood their situation, He acted based on that knowledge. He understood that the people He saw were like a sheep without a shepherd so He stepped in to care for them by teaching them. He didn’t just act just to act; He did what needed to be done to meet the need. It’s awesome that in the instance in Matthew, previously mentioned, when Jesus similarly saw, was moved with compassion, and identified the problem, He ends by telling the disciples, “The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He will send forth labourers into His harvest” (Matthew 9:37-38). Those disciples He talked to became the laborers they were commanded to ask God for! In Mark 6, then, Jesus did. In Matthew 9, Jesus lays out clearly the necessity of us doing, joining Him as laborers in the great harvest.

The need is so great around us. Wherever you look, problems abound. Let us follow the example of Jesus and choose to see, love, understand, and do today.

I love how Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. correctly stated in “The Drum Major Instinct”, a 2/4/1968 sermon, “Jesus gave us a new norm of greatness. If you want to be important—wonderful. If you want to be recognized—wonderful. If you want to be great—wonderful. But recognize that he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. That’s a new definition of greatness.” Said differently, King explained, “Greatness is determined by service.” 

These words of Dr. King and others always resonated with me, particularly because they lined up so well with the words and message of Jesus Christ. I always thought it was awesome that they were repeating the words, message, and idea that Jesus taught to disciples and commanded for all of us. And I loved that Jesus gave us this new norm that transformed what was truly great and important. The thing that is so awesomely beautiful and just mind-blowing is that JESUS WAS GREAT in the way He defined greatness for us. He talked the talk AND He walked the walk. He, GOD manifest in flesh (1 Timothy 3:16), exemplified the true greatness through love-fueled service that He called for in our lives! In Matthew 20:25-28 (also in Mark 10:42-45) Jesus responded to the desire of James and John to sit on His right hand and left hand in glory. He broke down beautifully what greatness really was about: He said: 

Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto [to be served], but to minister [to serve], and to give His life a ransom for many.

He explained to them that greatness wasn’t about dominion, power, or authority but about ministry or SERVICE. I just love how He moves from telling us what greatness was about in His kingdom, something that we might conclude makes sense for us, His forever-indebted servants, to showing how He was the truest example of that. He, the son of God, “Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6), came to earth to serve, not to be served, to give His life. He could have said, “You all are mere humans and should live lives of service. I, on the other hand, am fully human but also fully God, so it wouldn’t be fitting for me to serve anybody, particularly people.” But that’s the farthest thing from his rhetoric and life. We see His mindset, which we’re called to, in Philippians 2:5-8: 

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Jesus told us and showed us how to live our lives. He put on flesh and lived His life and died His death as a servant, for love, in His purpose. 1 John 3:16 says, “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because He laid down His life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” It was about His consistent choices. We can see real love and follow true greatness when we look at Him. He taught us with His words and His life. When we think about and worship Him for being great, we can celebrate Him in all of His extraordinary power and glory, majesty and might but we can also adore Him for His perfect service, self-humbling, and sacrifice for us, for His perfect plan, and ultimately for His glory. He chose to live out greatness in service. Now it’s our turn.

2 Corinthians 9, a passage talking about giving and sowing cheerfully and abundantly to others, ends with these words: “Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable [or indescribable] gift” (2 Corinthians 9:15). The many magnificent gifts of God — Jesus Christ, salvation, the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:38), His love, eternal life (Romans 6:23) — are so incredible and undeserved. As we read about being those who “give: not grudgingly [with sorrow, grief, annoyance], or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7), it is awesome to think of our giving in light of His.

God’s gave Himself on the cross for us (Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 6:25), loving the world so much that He gave His only begotten son (John 3:16). He gave all of His life in dying for us! One might think in giving that much (for a people undeserving when He had done no wrong) there might be some bitterness or resentment but there was only LOVE. Despite a real internal struggle in the garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36-46; Mark 14:32-42; Luke 22:41-44), Jesus ultimately made the choice to surrender to giving the gift of Himself for us, laying down His life (John 10:18). What a gift! Isaiah 53:10 tells us “it pleased the Lord to bruise Him!” The word pleased there meant to delight in, to take pleasure in. That is cheerful giving! I am so grateful that He gave so much for me (and still gives so much to me), not begrudgingly but gladly, knowing that “when Thou shalt make His soul an offering for in, He shall see His seed” (Isaiah 53:10). As Jesus said, “Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground, and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit” (John 12:24). He gave, willingly, freely, and cheerfully (even when it hurt!) because He knew that much fruit comes out of giving that comes from love. He’s such a perfect example. I pray that we each (1) recognize and thank God for His incredible and indescribable gifts toward us and (2) shift our entire thinking and attitude about giving to God (our lives, our hearts, our plans, our resources, etc.) and to others no matter what, knowing that He will take care of us as we answer the call to live lives of love, giving, and sacrifice that glorify Him and bless others.

‎“The true leader serves. Serves people. Serves their best interests, and in doing so will not always be popular, may not always impress. But because true leaders are motivated by loving concern than a desire for personal glory, they are willing to pay the price.” -Eugene B. Habecker

Jesus, in light of Your incredible example, raise up, mold and make leaders like this in Your house.

Philippians 2:5-8

[5] Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: [6] Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: [7] But made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: [8] And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Matthew 20:25-28 

[25] But Jesus called them unto Him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. [26] But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; [27] And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: [28] Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

1 John 3:16-17

[16] Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. [17] But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

John 15:12-13 

[12] This is My commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. [13] Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.