I Choose Today to be Harvest Hands

In our discovery of what Jesus did with His hands and feet, I ran across these verses in the Message Bible, saying

”Then Jesus made a circuit of all the towns and villages. He taught in their meeting places, reported kingdom news, and healed their diseased bodies, healed their bruised and hurt lives. When He looked out over the crowds, His heart broke. So confused and aimless they were, like sheep with no shepherd. “What a huge harvest!” He said to His disciples. “How few workers! On your knees and pray for harvest hands!”“ Matthew‬ ‭9‬:‭35‬-‭38‬

Jesus saw the need. He saw people were wandering aimlessly, unprotected, and in need of hope, healing, direction, and love. His response to these wanderers: compassion.

He saw the need for “harvest hands,” those who can work the harvest. His instruction was/is to pray to the God of the harvest to send more hands to the ones needing harvested.

When I was growing up, I lived in a part of California that is designated as the breadbasket of the world. What grows there is distributed all over the world. I saw firsthand how the harvesters would go into the fields to pick the fresh produce when they were ready.

If the produce was left on the tree/vine/plant too long, without being harvested, the produce would eventually fall to the ground, rot, and return to the earth without being used for it sole purpose it was designed.

Jesus doesn’t want anyone left on the vine. Jesus knows this about the Shepard-less people of this world and He has compassion for them! He wants us to be His “harvest hands” to show them the true Shepard: Jesus! This means we need to pray to the God of the harvest, be compassionate, and then show Jesus to the world!

So how do we show Jesus to the world? We imitate what He did, “…He taught in their meeting places, reported kingdom news, and healed their diseased bodies, healed their bruised and hurt lives.” He went out and met their needs, was there for them, showed love and compassion. He didn’t judge them (”I will not judge those who hear me but don’t obey me, for I have come to save the world and not to judge it.“ John‬ ‭12‬:‭47‬‬‬), He showed compassion.

Let’s join hands as ‘harvest hands’ and make a difference in the lives of those around us. Whether it’s through acts of kindness, sharing the good news, or simply offering a listening ear, let’s embody the compassion of Jesus and be the hands and feet of His love in our communities. Together, let’s pray for God to send more ‘harvest hands’ and step out in faith to make a positive impact on those in need.

What are some practical ways you can show Jesus’s love to those around you? Have you ever experienced the power of compassion in action? Share your comments below. I would love to hear and be encouraged by your experiences of Jesus’ compassion!