Friday March 22

Matthew 9:35-38

Amy Hewett-Olatunde

Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

In the great teachings of Matthew, we see Jesus perform miracle upon miracle. He restores sight to the blind and a voice to the mute. Here in these four verses, we can capture the essence of Jesus’ teachings. It is not on the backs of a few that the work should be done, but on many. To recognize the needs around us and ensure that equitable distribution of labor and who benefits from those resources should be intentional. Along with that, leadership plays a pivotal role in how societies work and how, in some situations, people find purpose.

In any country, a great leader can transform, enable, recognize, and utilize his/her countrymen to move a country forward. An inept leader does just the opposite and does not understand how to tap into the awesome potential of the people he/she serves. Jesus, in his wise and transformative leadership, truly saw the work that needed to be done and those who could do it. He never faltered in his awesomeness, and because of that, he leads us through times when there is no direction. He leads us through times when it feels that all hope is lost. He leads us when mortal leaders do not.

Questions for reflection:

• Do I have the potential to make changes around me for the good of society?

• Can I follow the example of Jesus and lead in impactful ways, especially to support those who most need it?

Prayer:

Father, when leaders fail us, give us the strength to find leadership in ourselves and those around us. In times of model leadership, let us move mountains and uplift what we know to be true and just: equitable and accessible resources for everyone, for families not to be separated, for all lives to matter, for protection of human rights, and for us to form international alliances to make our world more sustainable. Amen.