A few disciples who heard the sad news raced to Herod’s pavilion in disbelief. “It is the head of John” one whispers to the others.
They all cupped their mouths in fear and trepidation. The sentence of death and its sting left them all in disarray.
The disciples came together and did the needful.
A few hours later, the body of John was six feet aground while the disciples stood six feet above, moping and gathering dust on the heap of debris which characterized where John had been laid.
Pains of confusion unsteadied their heartbeat. Rivers of tears that had been denied access lurk behind their eyelids making them swell and discolored with veins.
Jesus watched them whisper one to another in monotone as his disciples approached him.
“Master, I saw it with my eyes. With my own eyes, I saw his head on a platter”
They all nodded amid sobs that were contending to gain expression. Jesus in his calmness watched their camaraderie. Impatience burn in the heart of the other disciples who were not privy to the incident.
The disciple who was narrating paused to catch his breath “I saw the head of John the Baptist on a platter, it was Herod’s birthday feast, his daughter danced and an irrevocable promise was made. Chaperoned by her mother, she requested the head of our John the Baptist”.
Jesus looked at his disciples, understanding dawned on him, and he quietly left seeking solitude.
The disciples like us knew what should follow next. The ‘open’ sign dangling on the door of each shop should be flipped over to reveal the ‘closed’ sign. No more miracle or healing for today. No more provision or Multiplication. We are mourning a senior member of staff. But was this what Jesus was up to?
When the crowd heard of the death of John, they went after Jesus. Like the drops of water that make an ocean, they soon reached five thousand men aside from the number of women and children.
As soon as Jesus saw them, his bereavement gave way to compassion. Moved by compassion, he healed them. He could not stay the stream of compassion that welled him over and flowed unhindered.
Sooner, the crowd needed something to eat. The disciple’s first response was “Let’s send them away to the town”
Jesus interrupted “Give them something to eat”. Drowned in their pains of bereavement, the disciples considered the dearth they were faced with, there was no money, no compassion, and no faith. How can this thing be?
With the same compassion with which Jesus healed them, he gave them enough bread and fish to calm their groaning stomachs.
Generally, there is one common effect of pain, it makes us ‘I’ conscious. We want to nurse our pains. Jesus never allowed the pain from the loss of his brother and forerunner to stand in the way of his compassion.
Generally, there is an increasing statistic of hunger in most nations of the world.
As long as there is that increase, we all tend to act like the disciples of Jesus “Let’s send them away.”
We may not say this directly but we know the pain of spending so much money on a few items, we have compassion but it’s not enough to go around. The value of the naira is dwindling, our faith can only cater to our current needs.
Jesus knows better and He beckons on us to follow in His stride. The words of Jesus resound with many effects as they had 2000 years ago; irrespective of the Economic milieu of the nation “Give them something to eat.”
Do not deny them if you can share or provide for them. The Bible encourages the same kind gestures from us,
James1: 27
To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction is a part of pure religion.
Even in Jesus’ time, there was a genuine dearth but wherever compassion mixes with faith, the miraculous happens.
Like Jesus, let’s not allow the dictates of the economy to stiffen our bowels of compassion. Like Jesus, let’s allow it to flow unhindered. He is a God of compassion; he beckons us to be a people of compassion.
Blessings.
Author:
Omoregie Blessing
Social media strategist // Writer.
