Dealing With the Crowds

Scripture – Matthew 5:1-6: ¹Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, ²and he began to teach them, saying: ³“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ⁴Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. ⁵Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. ⁶Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

Observation – (Write down what you see in the scripture.) There’s a lot of room for imagination here. How far up the mountainside did Jesus go? Did He move out of sight of the crowds? Was He trying to get away from them so He could do some private teaching with His disciples? Was He assuming the traditional teaching posture (sitting down) in an elevated place to better address the crowds? Whatever His intentions were, these next few chapters in Matthew are packed with profound lessons. This whole section is known as Jesus’ “Sermon on the Mount.” And it begins with this list of people who are “blessed.”

Application – (Write how you will be different today because of what you have just read.) As an introvert, being in the midst of a large crowd much of the time will eventually drain the life from me. At the same time, I can still interact with a lot of people for a time. I will be aware of my need to get away from people and my call to engage people. I’ll trust Christ to guide me in that.

Prayer – (Write out a brief prayer.) Lord Jesus, you know me better than I know myself. Please show me when to withdraw from people for refreshment and when to engage them in love and service. Keep my vision lifted up – taking my direction from you. For I trust you to take care of me – even as I offer myself in service to you.