A SERIES OF DEVOTIONS BASED ON THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW 

SHOW COMPASSION      

Matthew 14:14 “When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, He had compassion on them and healed their sick.”   

Jesus saw the human need of the crowd that followed Him. In spite of His desire to retreat with His disciples to reflect on the beheading of John the Baptist, the needs of the crowd took precedence upon Jesus’ heart. He reached out to them and “healed their sick.” 

One can only imagine the difficulty the crowd had getting to Jesus. Having the sick with them made their travel to the remote place where He and His disciples were even more difficult. Jesus, being aware of the total condition of the people, was filled with deep concern and a desire to improve their lives. This was in spite of having experienced the rejection of many. 

There is a lesson in today’s devotional verse for you and all of us fellow believers. The crowds around us are not always pleasant to deal with. We see the negatives that come our way from them and have no desire to engage them with the gospel. We certainly find it difficult to show them any compassion. 

Jesus said on another occasion, “. . . Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for Me.” (Matthew 25:40) Jesus said these words after he had previously said, “ For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’” (Matthew 25:35-36) In His sermon on the mount Jesus taught, “I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:44) As a Christian, showing compassion for others if your way of witnessing Jesus to them. 

Prayer: Fill my heart with compassion for those around me for Jesus’ sake. Amen. 

In Christ there is no east or west,  
In Him no south or north,  
But one great fellowship of love  
Throughout the whole wide earth. 

With God there is no tribe or race;  
In Him we all are one.  
He loves us as His children through  
Our faith in His dear Son. 

So, brothers, sisters, praise His name  
Who died to set us free 
 From sin, division, hate, and shame,  
From spite and enmity! 

Join hands, disciples of the faith,  
Whate’er your race may be;  
Who serves my Father as His child  
Is surely kin to me. 

In Christ now meet both east and west;  
In Him meet south and north.  
All Christian souls are one in Him   
Throughout the whole wide earth.  

In Christ There Is No East of West // LSB 653