Now when Jesus heard this he went away from there privately in a boat to an isolated place. But when the crowd heard about it, they followed him on foot from the towns. As he got out he saw the large crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick.
Matthew 14:13-14 NET
This passage can be easy to overlook. It serves as a transition between the account of John the Baptist’s execution and the feeding of the five thousand. It tells us that when Jesus heard about John’s execution, he sought an isolated place, away from the ceaseless crowds that followed him.
Why Jesus tried to escape the crowd is not stated, but it was connected with John’s death. He could have mourned for John’s death, he could have seen it as one step closer to his own date with the cross, or he could have wanted the time to explain the significance of the event to his disciples. But whatever his reason, his time away from the crowds was cut short when they discovered where he was.
Jesus’ response to their interruption is instructive. There is no indication that he resented their intrusion. Instead, he set aside his own agenda and cared for them. He had compassion for them and healed their sicknesses. He taught them (Mark 6:34). And he fed them (Matt. 14:15-21).
Jesus’ action in this passage convicts me of the need to meet people where they are, even if it is inconvenient. Rather than taking the interruption as an intrusion, I should respond to interruptions as an opportunity to minister to another person.
My agenda will always be there. But that opportunity to minister to the people God brings my way may not. And who knows, they may even minister to me. Maybe even in ways I was unaware of (Heb. 13:2).
