God often allows problems to enter people’s lives in order to facilitate His initial plans. For example, God had already expressed His desire to Abram for him to separate from his kindred. For various reasons, Abram had not obeyed God up until this point. In order to bring about God’s desired will, He allowed conflict to enter between the herdmen of Abram and those of Lot. The solution to this unnecessary conflict was quite simple. Abram suggested that they part ways (God’s initial plan) and Abram turned toward the land of Canaan (God’s initial plan). The Lord used the same tactic in the early church to get them to spread out and to preach His word outside of Jerusalem (see Acts 1:8 and Acts 8:1).
Most men have no trouble creating and recognizing the trouble they have created but often experience great difficulty in finding any necessary solutions. In the wilderness, the children of Israel readily identified problems, but rarely, if ever, offered suitable solutions for these problems. Their expectation was that someone else could provide the solutions so long as they found satisfaction in complaining. Even today, this scenario repeats itself in businesses, churches, and family lives. People can complain about problems and often lack the ambition or the wherewithal for finding any lasting solutions. The average person finds enjoyment in expressing his complaints but leaves the solutions to others. This has greatly troubled the workplace, the home, the church, and every nation.
Man can, at times, readily recognize problems that arise, but often initially reacts with solutions to remove the problem out of sight. As the disciples looked out over the multitude in today’s passage, they saw thousands in a desert place with a lack of provisions. They quickly viewed what seemed to them as an insurmountable problem. As evening approached, they came to the Lord and suggested that He send the people away. The disciples were more comfortable with the problem if it was out of sight, out of mind, and not theirs to face. Their suggestion was an unacceptable solution. For this reason, the Lord put the problem back upon the disciples when He said to them, “Give ye them to eat” (Mark 6:37). In other words, the problem would not go away or solve itself. The Lord directed the disciples to find a solution and their turning a blind eye was completely unacceptable.
Problems are a reality of life. The Lord cautioned concerning this truth when He said, “In the world ye shall have tribulation” (John 16:33). Simon Peter echoed this sentiment when he said, “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you” (1 Peter 4:12). Problems, trials, and tribulations occur because of sin’s presence, and so long as sin remains within this world, men will face difficulties. Though the nature of these problems varies, the foundational solutions are the same: problems must be faced, and spiritual, scriptural solutions must be sought. Failure to do so only increases the presence and impact of the problems.
God’s compassion originates from His mercy and grace and the way He deals with man displays this compassion. For example, He is “slow to anger” and “good to all,” etc. It is important to note that compassion is not something God simply does but rather a manifestation of His character. The Bible emphasizes the importance of this truth by stating that God is “full of compassion” on five separate occasions in the book of Psalms (Psalm 78:38; Psalm 86:15; Psalm 111:4; Psalm 112:4; Psalm 145:8). God’s actions (past, present, or future) can all be traced back to His compassion. This even includes His acts of judgment. When the Bible refers to God’s longsuffering it means that He will suffer for a long time before bringing judgment against a person, nation, or the whole world.
The word compassion consists of two components: “com” plus “passion.” Acts 1:3 defines the root word “passion” as suffering. The prefix “com” means with. Therefore, the compound word, compassion means to suffer with someone. God expects every true child of God to demonstrate compassion, but even more impressive is the thought that the Lord Jesus Christ manifested compassion during His earthly ministry. What an amazing truth—the Lord of glory willingly humbles Himself to suffer with others. One might assume this only became possible because Christ took upon Himself the likeness of sinful flesh (Romans 8:3). Yet, the Bible attributes compassion to God prior to the first coming of Christ.
