The Needs Around Us

We need to learn to be aware of the needs around us just as Jesus was.

“When He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it.”—Luke 19:41 NASB

As Jesus approached Jerusalem for the last time, He felt compelled to stop and take another look. Just seeing this city filled Him with emotion, and He wept openly.

Why did He weep? He was familiar with the importance of Jerusalem. It was their capital and the home of the Temple where sacrifices were offered and people came to seek God.

But Jerusalem also was a place where political intrigues and manmade traditions had taken the place of pure worship. Many of its leaders were spiritually blind, and the religious establishment seemed determined to keep people from experiencing spiritual victory. Many of God’s prophets had suffered persecution in Jerusalem, and Jesus knew even greater suffering was yet to come.

How often do we weep over the condition of the world? It’s all too easy to become complacent and allow our hearts to harden. But our attitude can change if we stop and allow God to prick our hearts, if we think about the impact of sin, and if we consider the hurting families, children with crippling diseases, and people going into eternity without Jesus.

Ask God to help you see the needs of the world through His eyes. Let His Spirit grip your heart as you consider the lost and hurting people around you. Allow Him to give you a renewed resolve to pray, a new passion for souls, and a fresh commitment to share the Gospel.

Reflection Question: Who can you witness to this week?