Jesus made the decision to take a break while he was feeling “drained”, instead of waiting until he was “empty”.
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Scripture
Matthew 14:13-14
“When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.”
Observation
Jesus needed a break. He was grieving the murder of his cousin, and the load and the pace of his ministry was weighing on him. He took time to recharge…only to have the crowds follow him there too. This would have been a prime opportunity for Jesus to lose his patience and lash out in irritation at those demanding his attention–instead, he “had compassion on them.”
How did he hold himself together? How did he continue to pour himself out, when he was clearly feeling drained? The simple/easy answer is that he was God…but there’s more to it, I think. Jesus was able to continue showing compassion even while drained and tired, because he had “emergency reserves.” He had made the decision to take a break while he was feeling “drained”, instead of waiting until he was “empty”. He had built enough margin into his life, to handle the unexpected crisis moments.
Application
Life can be draining. Whether from sudden tragedy and loss, or from the day to day busyness, it’s easy to run low on my energy and emotional reserves. Like Jesus, I must pay attention and take time to recharge–before the gauge reads ’empty’. I must maintain a healthy margin in life so that I can continue to love and care for those around me when things don’t go as planned.
This week, I need to prayerfully inspect and maintain my margins.
Prayer
God, thank you for teaching me. Thank you for coming and setting an example of what a God-honoring life looks like! Help me to put into practice the things I learn in your word so that I would daily continue to grow, deepen, strengthen, and thrive in you.
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