BLOG Post: The four minute read
When Jesus saw the crowds, He wasn’t just aware of their suffering—He felt it deep within Himself. Matthew 9:36-38 tells us:
“When He saw the crowds, He had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.’”
The word compassion here comes from the Greek splagchnizomai, meaning a deep, gut-wrenching reaction—a love so intense it physically stirs you. It’s not just noticing a problem; it’s feeling it in a way that demands response.
But here’s the real question: Do we still feel that way?
A Culture of Numbness
We live in an age of endless notifications and breaking news alerts. Every day, we scroll past stories of war, poverty, and suffering. We see fundraising ads, disasters, and heartbreaking images—but after a moment of sympathy, we move on.
We tell ourselves we care, but have we become numb to compassion?
Jesus’ compassion wasn’t passive. It moved Him. He didn’t just acknowledge suffering—He stepped into it. He healed the sick, fed the hungry, and embraced the outcasts. He was present. Are we?
True Compassion Requires Presence
In John 13:35, Jesus says:
“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Love isn’t just a feeling—it’s an action. It’s showing up when someone is hurting. It’s listening instead of dismissing. It’s choosing to care even when it’s inconvenient.
We often avoid emotional investment because it costs us something—our time, our comfort, our security. But compassion, true compassion, is costly. It requires presence—not just in a physical sense but in a way that says, “I see you. You matter.”
The world is full of people who feel like “sheep without a shepherd”—lost, broken, unseen. The harvest is plentiful, but where are the workers?
STURR: Stirred to Action
That’s why I am passionate about STURR—because it has stirred me to care. But more than that, it has challenged me to put actions to my sympathy. It’s easy to feel something; it’s harder to do something.
Compassion is only real when it moves us beyond emotion and into action.
Questions to Reflect On:
• Have I become numb to the suffering around me?
• Do I allow myself to truly feel compassion, or do I quickly move on?
• How can I be more present in the lives of those who need love and care?
• Where is God calling me to act, not just feel?
Jesus didn’t just see the crowds—He felt for them, and then He moved.
What about us?
Sol Goremano: Trustee Sturr
