Where you see problems, Jesus sees opportunities.

A huge crowd wanted Jesus’ attention in a remote location. He taught them and healed them all day into the evening. By then his disciples were tired. “Send the crowds away,” they told Jesus, telling him that the multitudes should disperse to the nearby villages for dinner.

“They do not need to go away,” Jesus rebuked. “You give them something to eat” (Matthew 14:15,16). 

It wasn’t a crowd problem as much as it was a disciple problem. The Bible says that Jesus looked at the crowd with compassion. He saw people to serve and even save. The disciples, however, looked at the crowd with human calculations. They saw a problem that needed to be solved (by someone else).

The disciples said, “Not my problem.” 

Jesus said, “I’ll help.” 

That’s the first step in problem-solving. Define your problem. Then own it. Don’t pretend it isn’t real, don’t ignore it, and don’t blame others. Jesus stepped into the problem and owned it. With compassion. Not much different than when he stepped into our world—into our problems, sins, and mistakes—with a compassion that owned our sin problems to death. 

Jesus isn’t confused by your problems. He isn’t scared. He has compassion. He will listen. He will love. And Jesus will involve you. In his forgiving grace, Jesus makes your problems opportunities for you to serve and grow.