Serving the Jesus Way - Part 1

In the early chapters of Mark, Jesus is off to a rapid-fire ministry of preaching and healing and casting out of demons. Always in tow are his disciples, observing and assisting (I assume) in Jesus' interactions with the crowds. Jesus is healing people from many diseases and incurable handicaps and soul-slavery at the hands of Satan's unclean spirits. Word is getting out. In Mark 3:7ff, we see that crowds are beginning to seek out and follow Jesus from all over Israel and beyond. It is no small wonder.

When you are truly helping people, people needing help will seek you out. You can't keep good things like healing and demonic deliverance quite. Soon Jesus had to have a boat ready for escape in case the crowds became too suffocating and dangerous. They weren't going to let Him out of their sight!

The price of being a true people helper is having ever more people to help. Truly helping and loving people can bring us face to face with radical decisions about time and energy and priorities. The more you help, the more some people want help. If you are willing to give, they are willing to take...and take...and take...and take. Of course, we have the help of the Holy Spirit. Praise God for that. But notice a couple of things regarding how Jesus served the increasing crowds of the needy:

• He made a way to escape from the crowds when their demands became dangerous: v.9
• He got away at intervals to be with the Father: v.13
• He showed compassion to the crowds, but He gave His full commitment to the small band of disciples he chose: v.14

It is no small part of wisdom and survival in ministry to learn how to do each of the above, not out of fear or selfishness, but in obedience to the Father.

"Lord, help me to be willing to serve the needy beyond all that I have previously experienced. May I be known as one who has something that the needy need."

Better to be faced with choosing the BEST over the BETTER rather than always settling for the least.