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Reading this tonight, I just realized that the feeding of the 5000 came right after Jesus’ cousin was beheaded. Jesus was trying to escape and most likely morn his cousin’s death and crowds follow him. Rather than turn them away and get his much needed alone time, Jesus ministered to them, cared for their needs and healed their infirmities and eventually made dinner for all of them. He saw beyond himself and summoned the strength of his father and served the people. I know that I couldn’t have done the same thing. I would have gotten a stand-in or cancelled services for the week. So often I come into a ministry situation and want it on my terms, in my time frame, and when this doesn’t happens I pout. I have an awkward conversation with a parent, and I want to run up to my office and hide all Sunday morning. For me, It takes effort to buck up and get back in the trenches. Jesus suffered a death in his family, a HORIFFIC death in his family, yet without pausing he still showed himself as the servant of all. These sorts of passages slap me in the face and make me realize that while I’ve come so far, I still have so much farther to go.