Compassion Fatigue

And Jesus said to them,

“How many loaves have you?”

Luke 15:34

          For three days the crowd gathered around Jesus.  They brought “the lame, the maimed, the blind, the deaf, and many others.”  Jesus healed all comers.  On the sidelines the disciples watched, happy to have front row seats that allowed them to see the action close up.

          But, three days is a long time away from home, especially when this spur-of-the-moment revival brought people into the country without much preparation.  They were getting hungry.  Jesus thought it best to wrap things up and send them home, but he worried that some may have fasted for three days now and would not have the strength for the journey.

          It would be best to feed them first.  Nice sentiment, but where would the food come from?  Jesus looked each disciple straight in the eye and asked, “How many loaves have you?”  Well, it’s one thing to sit front row center and watch Jesus perform mighty acts of God, and quite another to get involved, especially if that participation requires sacrifice.  Besides, the bean counters among the disciples counted the beans and quickly determined that there would not be nearly enough.  What’s the use?  The need outpaced the resources.  Why try?

          What they did not figure on was God’s power to multiply offerings of faith.  After a long silence some loaves and a few fish were placed in the offering plate. Jesus prayed and passed it around. The need was met and thousands were fed. No one went home hungry, because some shared and God increased the blessing.  God has blessed us and calls us to bless us others even when the need seems too great and our resources too small. One preacher put it this way, "Without God we can’t - without us God won’t."

You have created us God of grace and generosity in your image and so we are called to share even when we grow weary in well-doing.  Let us trust once more in your power to use our small resources in big ways.  Amen.