Big Buts of the Bible

An excerpt from Chapter 8.

Here, But There

Look back through Matthew chapter 8.

Take note of the beginning of each section: “When He came down the mountainside…” “When He entered Capernaum…”“When Jesus came into Peter’s house…” “When Jesus saw the crowd…” “Then He got into the boat…” “When He arrived at the other side…”

Notice how much movement there is. Jesus is constantly going somewhere.

Earlier I described His ministry as both itinerant and occasional. Itinerant in that He never seemed content to stay in one place very long. Occasional in that He continually seized opportunities to minister as they presented themselves.

He didn’t set out a shingle and say, “Ya’ll come.” He didn’t establish office hours. He didn’t hang a sign that read, “Messiah—Appointments Available Tuesdays and Thursdays.”

He moved through ordinary life with His eyes open. And people kept appearing.

A leper. A Roman officer. A sick woman. Frightened disciples. Two men everyone else had given up on.

Jesus met them one after another, often while simply traveling from one place to another. I find that very encouraging.

Many of us imagine that serving God requires some grand assignment, a title, a platform, or a dramatic calling. Yet much of Jesus’ ministry happened along the way. Walking. Traveling. Entering a town. Leaving a town. Sharing a meal. Crossing a lake.

He simply remained attentive to the people God placed in front of Him. The same may be true for us.

Most of us won’t preach the Sermon on the Mount. Most of us won’t stand before crowds. But we will encounter tired people. Lonely people. People carrying burdens they rarely speak about. People wondering whether anyone notices them. People who feel forgotten, ashamed, overwhelmed, or stuck. People who have quietly concluded they no longer belong anywhere.

Those are often the very people Jesus moved toward.

Perhaps following Jesus looks less like finding a ministry and more like joining Him in the one He is already doing around us.

A listening ear. A word of encouragement. A meal shared. A text message sent. A prayer offered. A friendship extended. A willingness to notice the person everyone else seems to overlook.

The beautiful thing about Matthew chapter 8 is that Jesus never appears rushed, annoyed, or inconvenienced by the interruptions. The people weren’t obstacles to His ministry. They were His ministry.

And perhaps that’s the invitation for us as well. To live with open eyes. To move through our days with open hands. To remain attentive to the opportunities God places in our path.Because the people Jesus loves are not only waiting in church buildings. They’re here. But they’re also there. And sometimes following Jesus simply means being willing to go where He is already headed.