Read Luke 9:1-6, 10-17
“When the day began to wear away, the twelve came and said to Him, ‘Send the multitude away, that they may go into the surrounding towns and country, and lodge and get provisions; for we are in a deserted place here.’ But He said to them, ‘You give them something to eat’…”—Luke 9:12-13
After the twelve disciples returned from preaching and healing during their mission travels, Jesus took them into the desert for private time. When people followed, Jesus took the time to minister to them. As day faded, the disciples encouraged Jesus to send the people away for food and lodging. Instead, Jesus told the disciples to do what they wanted to divorce themselves from doing, feed the people.
The disciples saw the need, but chose to distance themselves from a meaningful solution. How was it the disciples who’d just returned from a mission filled with preaching and healing, were dismissive to ministering to a hungry crowd?
Were the disciples tired from their mission travels or perhaps ready to disperse the crowd to keep Jesus to themselves? Were they content to see the people fed theologically, yet blind to the opportunity to feed them in tangible ways? Were they unable to recognize the power Jesus possessed and gave them to preach and heal could feed a hungry crowd also? Or were they simply callous to performing a mundane act of feeding the hungry after having performed great acts of preaching and healing?
Whatever the case, Jesus responded to the disciples’ hesitation to help by showing love and compassion and ministering to the people in practical terms.
Even today, the Church must ask itself, do we exercise practical, tangible theology? Or, are we content to fill the air with theological doctrine while dismissing the importance of applying love, compassion, and justice in practical terms? Is the Church content to talk salvation without saving lives from hunger, poverty, and indifference? Are we, the Church, making a difference in a world in need of hope, healing and answers?
Jesus challenged His disciples to exercise practical faith that made a difference. May He continue to challenge us today with that same mandate.
Question to Ponder: Are we, the Church, content to practice theology, yet indifferent to practical theology? Are we making a difference in the world?
“But someone will say, ‘You have faith, and I have works.’ Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works…But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?”—James 2:18, 20
