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When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
-Matthew 9:36
When Jeff was a new believer in Jesus and fresh out of college, he worked for a major oil company. In his role as a salesman, he traveled; and in his travels he heard people's stories-many of them heartbreaking. He realized that what his customers most needed wasn't oil, but compassion. They needed God. This led Jeff to attend seminary to learn more about the heart of God and eventually to become a pastor.
Jeff's compassion had its source in Jesus. In Matthew 9:27-33 we get a glimpse of Christ's compassion in the miraculous healing of two blind men and one demon-possessed man. Throughout His earthly ministry, He went about preaching the gospel and healing "through all the towns and villages" (v. 35). Why? "When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd" (v. 36).
The world today is still full of troubled and hurting people who need the Savior's gentle care. Like a shepherd who leads, protects, and cares for his sheep, Jesus extends His compassion to all who come to Him (11:28). No matter where we are in life and what we're experiencing, in Him we find a heart overflowing with tenderness and care. And when we've been a beneficiary of God's loving compassion, we can't help but want to extend it to others.
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