When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. He said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields. Matthew 9:36-38
What do you do when obstacles to telling others about Jesus seem too overwhelming to even begin?
Mustafa is a Christian living in a nation where the church is small and persecuted. He doesn’t know one other person who follows Jesus in his city and feels alone. The obstacles to sharing the good news of Jesus seem overwhelming. Many followers of Jesus have been in Mustafa’s place—wanting to share the hope they have in Jesus but not knowing where to begin.
Jesus gives us surprising instructions. In the Bible we read, “When he saw the crowds, [Jesus] had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. He said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields'” (Matthew 9:36-38).
Jesus understands the confusion and brokenness we see in the world. His first instruction is simple: pray. Before anything else, we need to pray for Jesus’s compassion and power that changes hearts and reveals truth in ways we never could. Then, we ask for more workers sent by God, filled with His Spirit and ready to share His love with others. We need people so moved by Jesus’s compassion that they can’t help but tell their neighbors about Him.
Each of us can offer ourselves as harvest workers. Jesus is called the Lord of the Harvest, because it’s Jesus Himself who moves among us, giving each of us a unique gospel-bearing mission. When Jesus works through you, you can expect to see unexpected outcomes that far exceed what you could ever do on your own. Remember, the harvest is ready. To share, begin with prayer!
