Daily Devotion

“Do not despise them because of their xenophobia, but have mercy on them because they have never heard the name of the Savior. If I do not labor for them, who will labor for them?”

John Robert Morrison · China News

Scripture

"When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd." —Matthew 9:36

Reflection

When the world judges others by political stances, cultural barriers, or xenophobic sentiments, Christians are called to have eyes that "go beyond appearances." The Qing Dynasty's xenophobia, seen as foolish by the world, is, from a salvational perspective, the struggle and defense of "sheep without a shepherd." When faced with rejection, indifference, or even hostility, do we choose to stand on moral high ground and "contempt," or do we bow down and "have compassion"? John Morrison's quote, "If I do not labor for them, who will labor for them?" reflects a sacred sense of uniqueness—not only repaying the debt to the gospel, but also the ultimate responsibility for the talents and positions God has given us. True service begins with seeing through the thorns of others and acknowledging their suffering.