When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick. Matthew 14:13-14
Jesus hears that His cousin and friend, John the Baptist, has been murdered. Even if it was something He knew was coming, it was still a shock. Put yourself in Christ’s position. One of your closest friends, a family member even, is brutally killed over some penny ante revenge play after landing in prison for telling uncomfortable truths. Now, you learn he has been executed: beheaded for telling the truth about an adultery and for witnessing about you. After all, witnessing about Jesus was John’s fundamental mission, his large purpose in life. And it cost him his life.
Jesus was distressed. He was hurting, grieving, full of sorrow and pain. He wanted to be alone, to suffer the human grieving process even though He was fully God at the same time. I think that says a lot about Jesus, about God in general, actually. He grieves when terrible things happen to us. Maybe it makes Him grieve even more when we live our lives for Him. He doesn’t want us to hurt, or suffer, or even die. But He understands that we live in a fallen world ruled by the prince of darkness. So He abides with us and hurts like we hurt.
In the middle of His grief over John the Baptist, what does Jesus do? He withdraws to a solitary place, to a place where He might be alone…except that isn’t how it turns out. He isn’t alone at all because crowds follow Him. They want to be near Him, hoping He will teach more things they haven’t heard before; hoping He will do more miracles; hoping He will do miracles for them.
Jesus’ reaction? He had compassion on them. He saw that they, too, were in solitary places, only these were places of the heart. Jesus took His time of grieving and used it to help strangers. Would we do that?
And, do you and I follow Jesus because we want Him to do miracles for us? Please understand: I don’t say this in an accusatory way. It’s just a question. What are our motives for following Jesus? Do we want Him to perform a miracle for us? If one’s heart is in the right place, that may not be a bad thing. Ask, seek, knock: Jesus WANTS for us to ask for what’s on our hearts, hoping that what we ask for is more of Him, more of His grace, not stuff. That’s an even bigger miracle than physical healing.
I’m thankful Jesus has compassion on us even when we don’t always have compassion on each other, or even on Him.
For more read: Matthew 14:15
Lord Jesus, thank You for Your holy compassion, for Your tremendous heart of love
Practical Proverbs 