35Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. 36But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. 37Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. 38Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest."
Imagine, someone coming to your city and healing every sickness and disease among the people. Yes, he would be there to teach and preach too, but the big draw would probably end up being the healing. Jesus didn't have to heal the sick. I would think that the most important thing He needed to do was teach and preach to prepare everyone for the kingdom of God. But He always had compassion for the people. No matter how many kept coming, He continued to heal all sicknesses and diseases. Sure, there were probably many who came for the healing, but then they probably stayed for the teaching. It's OK to turn to Jesus in all your needs, but you may end up learning something in the process too.
I am awed by Jesus' endless compassion. Sometimes it seems that so many were brought to Him to be healed that I feel people took advantage of His compassion. I hate being taken advantage of, and I hate to think of Jesus as being taken advantage of too. But maybe by His example here, Jesus is letting us know that compassion should always be given, there is no such thing as someone taking advantage of your compassion. Actually, I am so thankful for Jesus' endless compassion so I can know that He has time for me too.
Footnotes in the Bible Gateway I copied the scriptural text from says that in verse 36, both the NU-Text and M-Text read harassed instead of weary. Yes, weariness can be caused by harassment. But who or what was harassing the people? Were they an oppressed people being harassed by their oppressors, possibly the Romans? Were they trying to listen to Jesus' teachings but then being harassed by the Pharisees as to why they shouldn't listen to Jesus? Or were their sicknesses and diseases and other problems being caused by demons who were harassing them? I could see how the demons could be more successful if they could keep the people weary and scattered. I'm not sure who was harassing them, but I can understand that they were weary.
What is our reaction when we are weary? We are tempted to give up. How do we battle our weariness? Oftentimes support of others in our situation help to give us strength. But here it says they were scattered. They were like sheep without a shepherd. They needed someone to gather them into a flock and to tend to them, to nourish them, and give them strength.
The metaphor of the harvest is a beautiful choice. When I think of a harvest, I think of something that was carefully planted, tended, and brought to ripeness, so it could be gathered with others of its kind for its ultimate purpose. We aren't just lost sheep to be gathered up, but were planted where we are for a purpose, are nurtured and taken care of as needed for what each of our potential fruits are, and are made with a desire to hear the word of God to bring us to our fullest potential, all so we can be gathered into God's kingdom, the home to which God wants to bring us all.
Jesus said the laborers are few. Does this mean God's work cannot be accomplished if there aren't enough laborers? I don't think so, God can do anything. But as a matter of compassion, we should also desire to help the weary and scattered sheep, to be the feet, hands, and voice of God to help tend His harvest.
It is interesting that Jesus says to pray that the Lord of harvest send out more laborers. Who is the Lord of harvest? And who should these laborers be? I would have thought that Jesus was the Lord of harvest, but because of the way He said it, I don't think He is referring to Himself. I almost think He is referring to the Holy Spirit. And why pray that the Holy Spirit make someone else a laborer? I believe the Holy Spirit is always working to make others laborers but he can't make someone a laborer unless He is invited into their heart. Sure, we can pray that someone else opens their heart to let the Holy Spirit in and make of them a laborer, but the only one we can truly ask the Holy Spirit to make a laborer is ourselves as we open our own heart to Him.
Yes, the harvest is plentiful. Everyone was designed to be part of this harvest. But the laborers are few. We are weary. We are scattered. But there is something we can do about this. Let in the Holy Spirit, and help God with the harvest.