Lesson in Lifesaving. Remember the Prime Directive

When I get busy, I tend forget the most important reason why I’m here, my prime directive – to make more and better disciples (Matt. 28:18-20)! In fact, unlike Jesus, the busier I become, the more I lose compassion for the lost. It doesn’t take much for the multitudes to become more of a stumbling block to impede my effectiveness rather than a reason for becoming effective. Freeway traffic is a cause of frustration rather than compassion. A busy parking lot gives me a headache from the confusion rather than a heart that aches with compassion.

Compassion cannot be something pushed on us from obligation, it is something that comes out from within. In fact, the word “compassion” used of Jesus in scripture literally means “bowels” – it is something you feel in your gut. Compassion, real compassion, doesn’t come about by lawsuits. It is a natural feeling that stirs in your stomach and comes out in your eyes, your words, and your actions. It takes “guts” to care for the lost!

There are times when I intentionally go to a crowded shopping mall or a busy restaurant and just stand among the throngs asking the Lord to break my heart.

When I get busy, I tend forget the most important reason why I’m here, my prime directive – to make more and better disciples (Matt. 28:18-20)! In fact, unlike Jesus, the busier I become, the more I lose compassion for the lost. It doesn’t take much for the multitudes to become more of a stumbling block to impede my effectiveness rather than a reason for becoming effective. Freeway traffic is a cause of frustration rather than compassion. A busy parking lot gives me a headache from the confusion rather than a heart that aches with compassion.

Compassion cannot be something pushed on us from obligation, it is something that comes out from within. In fact, the word “compassion” used of Jesus in scripture literally means “bowels” – it is something you feel in your gut. Compassion, real compassion, doesn’t come about by lawsuits. It is a natural feeling that stirs in your stomach and comes out in your eyes, your words, and your actions. It takes “guts” to care for the lost!

There are times when I intentionally go to a crowded shopping mall or a busy restaurant and just stand among the throngs asking the Lord to break my heart.

With workers we can bring in a harvest.

Where do we go to find workers? Bible colleges and seminaries? Parachurch ministries? Harvard School of Business? Churches? No, none of these answers are right according to this passage. The place where we need to go to find workers for the harvest is on our knees before the throne of God. Jesus said, “Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest (Matt. 9:38).” The harvest begins with prayer to the “Lord of the harvest.”

Jesus not only identifies what we’re missing, and where to find them, but He also provides for us a great example of how to raise up workers for the harvest. He called them out of the harvest itself, empowered them and sent them right back into the harvest as workers doing the very same things He modeled. Jesus multiplied His ministry.

In this passage of Scripture, Matthew, the author of this gospel, is a great example. In the ninth verse of this chapter Jesus calls Matthew to follow Him leaving behind tax audits, accounting books and piles of money. In verses 37-38, he has Matthew praying for workers to go out into the harvest and then two verses later Jesus is sending Matthew out into the cities and villages (Matt. 10:1) to do what He himself had modeled in ministry (Matt. 9:35). He goes from tax collector to preacher in the course of one chapter of scripture. Most would think that this is too soon to send Mathew out into the harvest fields. He’s too new, too easily influenced, he doesn’t have enough knowledge to answer people’s challenges. But Jesus saw Matthew as having many contacts with other lost people who need the gospel (Matt. 9:10-11). He also saw Matthew’s new life change as a very persuasive presentation of the gospel in itself. He may not have had depth of knowledge but he had a passion for Christ that many who have been Christians for years lack. I’ll take a hot, impassioned witness over a cold, knowledgeable one every time.

Jesus shows us that the workers must come from the harvest itself.

The only barrier we face to a greater harvest is a lack of compassion that motivates prayer, which releases workers, which yields the harvest.

Life can keep us busy, but it is there in the midst of our busyness that we need to open our eyes and see if there is anyone in desperate need of a Savior. The moment we have been called upon to save a drowning soul can come in the midst of our busyness and we need to be prepared. Jesus was a busy man, but He never lost sight of His prime directive – to seek and to save those who are lost.

Neil Cole

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