True compassion is not just a feeling but a deep, gut-level response that compels us to act on behalf of others, just as Jesus was moved to serve and heal those who were lost and hurting. When we see the brokenness and need around us, it is not enough to simply feel sympathy; we are called to let that ache in our spirit become the mission, stepping forward to pray, serve, and love in tangible ways. This is the heart of Jesus—compassion that refuses to remain passive, but instead becomes the catalyst for real change in our city and in the lives of those around us. [37:18]
Matthew 9:35-38 (ESV)
And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
Reflection: When was the last time you allowed the ache you felt for someone’s pain or lostness to move you beyond prayer into a practical act of love or service? What is one step you can take today to let your compassion become action?
The call to serve is not reserved for distant lands or special occasions; Jesus sends us first to those right in front of us—our neighbors, coworkers, and the people in our daily lives—challenging us to cross the street before we ever cross an ocean. The mission is local before it is global, and we are invited to touch the untouchables, love those who are different from us, and serve even when it is inconvenient or uncomfortable. True discipleship is not about building a club of like-minded people, but about being available and generous to everyone God places in our path. [52:59]
Matthew 10:6-8 (The Message)
“Go to the lost, confused people right here in the neighborhood. Tell them that the kingdom is here. Bring health to the sick. Raise the dead. Touch the untouchables. Kick out the demons. You have been treated generously, so live generously.”
Reflection: Who is one person in your immediate circle—your neighborhood, workplace, or school—that you have overlooked or avoided? How can you intentionally reach out to them this week with the love and generosity of Jesus?
Opportunities to share the hope of Jesus are abundant, but the window to act is not guaranteed; we are called to move with urgency, loving, serving, and speaking now rather than waiting for a more convenient time. The harvest is plentiful, but the time to bring it in is limited—so we must be willing to be interruptible, to pick our heads up from our routines, and to let God use us in the everyday moments that could become someone’s only God story. Don’t let fear or hesitation keep you from planting seeds of hope; even a small conversation or a simple act of kindness can be the beginning of transformation in someone’s life. [57:49]
John 4:35 (ESV)
Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest.
Reflection: What is one routine or distraction you can set aside today to be more present and available for a God-given opportunity? Ask God to make you interruptible and to show you where the harvest is ready around you.
God is not impressed by our polish or strength; He delights in using those who feel unqualified, insecure, or weak, because His power is made perfect in our dependence on Him. When we offer our inadequacies to God, He turns them into strength and uses our ordinary lives for extraordinary impact, so that others see not our greatness, but His. Don’t let your past, your lack of knowledge, or your feelings of insufficiency keep you from stepping out—God specializes in working through people who are still “working on stuff.” [01:07:26]
2 Corinthians 12:9 (ESV)
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Reflection: What is one area of weakness or insecurity that has kept you from serving or sharing your faith? How can you offer that to God today and trust Him to use it for His glory?
The harvest becomes personal when we allow God to highlight specific people in our lives, respond to the Holy Spirit’s nudge, and take practical next steps to love, serve, and follow up. It’s not about waiting for the perfect moment or feeling, but about showing up, being available, and letting God use our obedience to write only God stories in our city. The darkness around us is not our enemy—it’s our assignment; when we bring Jesus into the darkest places, lives are changed, hope is restored, and God alone gets the glory. [01:14:51]
Isaiah 6:8 (ESV)
And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.”
Reflection: Who is one person God is highlighting to you today as your “only God” person? What is one small, specific next step you can take to move from noticing to acting—whether it’s a text, a prayer, or an invitation?
Today, we explored what it means to live a life that points not to our own strength, but to the power and goodness of God—so that when people look at our lives, our families, and our city, they say, “Only God could have done that.” We looked at Jesus’ example in Matthew 9, where his compassion for the crowds wasn’t just a feeling, but a gut-level response that moved him to action. Jesus saw people who were spiritually aimless, like sheep without a shepherd, and he didn’t just feel bad for them—he stepped in, he healed, he taught, he loved. That’s the kind of compassion we’re called to: not just emotion, but movement.
We talked about how easy it is to have good intentions—to want to help, to want to serve, to want to make a difference—but intentions alone don’t change anything. It’s movement, it’s action, that brings change. Jesus’ compassion led him to serve, to touch the untouchable, to love the unlovable, and he calls us to do the same, starting right where we are. The mission is local before it’s ever global. We can’t cross oceans if we’re not willing to cross the street.
We also looked at the urgency of the harvest. Jesus said the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. There’s a window of opportunity in people’s lives, and we don’t know how long it will be open. We can’t keep putting off sharing hope, serving, or loving our neighbors until “someday.” The time is now. Even if we feel unqualified or weak, God delights in using those who depend on him, not those who have it all together. Our weakness is the very place where his power shines brightest.
Finally, we challenged ourselves to be interruptible, to notice the people God puts in our path, to respond to the Holy Spirit’s nudge, and to take the next step—however small it may seem. The darkness in our city isn’t our enemy; it’s our assignment. We’re called to bring the light of Jesus into the places that need it most, trusting that God will use our obedience to write “only God” stories all over our city.
Matthew 9:35-38 (ESV) — 35 And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction.
36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few;
38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
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