Do you ever feel overwhelmed? There are times when we just have more to get done than hours in the day. And isn’t it usually when you have no room to spare that more disruptions and distractions than ever pop up? Of course, if our days seem hectic, imagine a day in the life of Jesus. When you can heal people’s diseases and cast out their unclean spirits, you attract a lot of attention – even when you’re trying not to. It didn’t seem to matter how strictly He ordered them to not make Him known, people couldn’t help but talk about Jesus.
That’s why I find a particular scene in Mark 3 so interesting. Even as Jesus tried to get away with His disciples, a great crowd heard what He had been doing and followed from literally all around (cf. 3:7-8). Now, at some level, that had to be frustrating, right? It’s like a parent who can’t get a minute to themselves without a little hand knocking on the bathroom door. Yet, look at what Jesus did. He didn’t snap at the teeming masses, unleashing pent up indignation on their selfish lack of boundaries. After all, they were like little children. Harassed and helpless, they needed a compassionate Shepherd, not a tongue lashing.
Importantly, though, Jesus didn’t let Himself get trampled, either. He knew they were coming, so He prepared: “And He told His disciples to have a boat ready for Him because of the crowd, lest they crush Him” (3:9). It wouldn’t have been in any one’s interest for Jesus to have been crushed: not yet anyway, and not like that (cf. Isa. 53:5). Jesus had a larger mission to fulfill that would bless us all more than they could ever have imagined: He couldn’t allow the masses to bleed Him dry. Odds are, the family, friends, employers, and customers tugging on us often don’t realize how close we are to unraveling as they ask us for that “one more thing.” Yet, Jesus took responsibility for giving Himself some breathing room. Instead of trying to control the crowds, He managed Himself, using that boat to provide the little bit of distance He needed to keep from being overwhelmed while still compassionately serving.
You know what those most busy, stressful, hectic times in your life look like when they are coming on, don’t you? So, where’s your boat? Maybe it’s a date night, a stay-at-home weekend, a vacation, or just a few hours with your phone on “Do Not Disturb”. What is that little bit of buffer you can prepare ahead of time to keep from being crushed? Not only that, but how can you invite Jesus into it through prayer, Scripture, or devotional time? Jesus clearly knew what He was doing, able to both love freely and set boundaries. If you don’t want to get crushed, you better get in the boat with Him and breathe.
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