splagnidzomai... Jesus' Gut Check

And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest." (Mat 9:35 ESV)

Wouldn't you like to see people through Christ's gut?!  Through His gut???!!!  Just a fun bit of biblical trivia... the greek word translated “had compassion” is a word that means “to be moved as to one’s bowels” - Thayer’s Greek Lexicon. - or: “to have the bowels yearn” - Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance.

We see the heart as the seat of emotions. Not so in Jesus’ context... for them, the seat of the emotions was the gut. This word implies a deep emotional response that is followed by action.  It's more than just butterflies in Jesus' belly.

So what?! The point is that Jesus was not some sort of emotionless sage or monk who only taught from an intellectual standpoint or only served out of duty.

Jesus was moved to His core in compassion for people.

Oh that we could see every person the way that Jesus does.

Do you want Jesus’ gut?  You know what I mean. Do you want your inner self to reflect The Holy One? It does not come easily. There are depths of conceit in us that we are not aware of.  We do not know ourselves. Only God does. The kind of compassion that Christ had for people does not come from a gut stuffed full from feeding on selfishness.

This kind of Gut comes from a strict diet.

No self-preservatives allowed.

Step by step we must nourish our guts with Service and prayer. With submission and worship. With meditation and solitude.

Add a healthy serving of service to your diet.  Have a “gut check” today.