And what pity he felt for the crowds that came, because their problems were so great and they didn’t know what to do or where to go for help. Matthew 9:36 (TLB)
As I loaded my groceries on the conveyor belt and then prepared to pay, the employee bagging my groceries started what soon become a study in patience. Mine.
The employee pitched nonstop questions, each one punctuated by a high-pitched giggle. “Do you want the carton of eggs bagged separately?” “Is it okay if I put both packages of hamburger in one bag?” “Where do you want me to put your canned goods?” In a bag.
The checkout clerk had obviously worked with this employee before. The clerk sighed. Loudly. The others in line behind me did too. The process was taking four times longer than it should have.
Normally, my nature would have been to join the sighers, but something about the look in the bagger’s face made me rein in my irritation.
What was the response Jesus had to people like the store employee who was so unsure of herself?
He had pity. Compassion. As the Living Bible expresses in Matthew 9:36, He was moved over their plight, “because their problems were so great and they didn’t know what to do or where to go for help.”
Nothing in my life was more important in that grocery store moment than showing compassion like Jesus would. Now to work on making that my default response.
Faith Step: Will your path cross a store employee’s or coworker’s today? If so, in honor of the compassion Jesus shows, watch for a way you can reflect His nature in your interactions. You may never know the difference you can make.
