Take the Time
I know this will come as a surprise...[insert sarcastic tone of voice]....but I am a very task-oriented person. Living here, in a very relational culture, has been challenging at times AND a huge point of needed growth in my life. It's not that I don't like people or dislike being 'relational'...but I will sacrifice a conversation for the sake of getting something done.
I was reading a bit of the book of Matthew the other morning. I noticed something that I have likely glossed over many times. As the account in Scripture goes, a 'vast' crowd comes to Jesus to be healed of various diseases and Jesus heals them all. In verse 32 of Chapter 15 (NLT) it says...."Then Jesus called His disciples and told them, 'I feel sorry for these people. They have been here with me for three days, and they have nothing left to eat. I don't want to send them away hungry, or they will faint along the way.'"
What struck me was that Jesus says the crowd had been with him for three days. Being that Jesus was already doing one miracle after another...he could have healed everyone in one big wave of his hand....ya know, "Be Healed!!!" Done. But since he tells the disciples that the people had been with him there for three days, it makes me think that he spent individual time with people as he healed them. He was far more people-oriented than task-oriented. Efficiency wasn't his top goal like it so often is mine. This was an excellent reminder for me.
I was reading a bit of the book of Matthew the other morning. I noticed something that I have likely glossed over many times. As the account in Scripture goes, a 'vast' crowd comes to Jesus to be healed of various diseases and Jesus heals them all. In verse 32 of Chapter 15 (NLT) it says...."Then Jesus called His disciples and told them, 'I feel sorry for these people. They have been here with me for three days, and they have nothing left to eat. I don't want to send them away hungry, or they will faint along the way.'"
What struck me was that Jesus says the crowd had been with him for three days. Being that Jesus was already doing one miracle after another...he could have healed everyone in one big wave of his hand....ya know, "Be Healed!!!" Done. But since he tells the disciples that the people had been with him there for three days, it makes me think that he spent individual time with people as he healed them. He was far more people-oriented than task-oriented. Efficiency wasn't his top goal like it so often is mine. This was an excellent reminder for me.
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| The three little people that I am the most tempted to sacrifice relationship time with for the sake of getting something done. And yet, these are the three little people that I should be pouring the most into right now. |
