STXWM Blog

by April-Michelle Burkhalter

Originally Published in Our Heart His Mission, Volume 2 (2024)

The Compassion of Christ

Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and disease among the people.  But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.  Then He said to His disciples, “the harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few.  Therefore, pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”    Matthew 9:35-38 (NKJV)

Oh, how my heart breaks when I read this Scripture.  How often have I missed a moment where He was tugging at my heart to act, but I refused to hear and obey His voice, because I had let the frustrations of the day make my heart cold, judgemental, or simply disconnected.  That is not the woman I want to be at all.

So often I have tried to justify my lack of service by saying things like: “God, I’m too busy with work, family, keeping everyone’s schedules, helping and working in the church, and doing all these things.  I can’t do more.  I’m just too stressed to help one more person right now” and then I miss out on opportunities to show empathy and compassion in situations where He has needed me to ACT as a witness of Christ!  Who am I to be too busy to answer God?!  But it happens.  I fall short, too, even as a pastor’s wife.

Romans 3:10 says, “There is none righteous, no, not one.”

We all fall short, so we rely on God’s grace and mercy to build us up, and we try again.

Even still, the call is there.  The plea for action by God for laborers to step out in faith is everlasting.  God wants us to kick out the worldly thoughts from our minds and really try to see and serve people in the way that Jesus did.  As I read Christ’s quote in Matthew chapter 9, I can feel His heart breaking when He sees the condition of the multitudes.  These are God’s children, weary and scattered.  It should stir our hearts to hear this passage.  We have all been those weary and scattered sheep at some point in our lives, and we should never forget how hopeless that time felt for us, or how our gracious Lord brought us through those trials, often by the hands and feet of a laborer that answered the tug on their heart.

The church needs more laborers, and not just inside the four walls of the church building.  A plentiful harvest means there are still so many people that need help, the gospel, the love of Christ, and the hope and the joy that comes from having a relationship with Christ Jesus.  We need to open our eyes to the hurt, lost, or hopeless people that we run across daily.  We need to stop giving all the attention to the sin that people are in and see the soul that needs to be told that there is a real love to be found in Christ.

We should carry that message daily and boldly.

As the body of Christ, we are to be the hands and feet of Jesus and keep God’s commandments.  We are commanded to go and reach people for the Kingdom of God.  This call is not based on how we feel, nor if we have a million other things on our plates, because that is life.  The biggest difference-makers in the lives of others might just listen for a few seconds to someone who is hurting, or even give a simple hug to a stressed-out momma.  Remember, we are not called to judge; we are called to love each other.

Ask yourself:

• What more can I do to be a laborer for the Kingdom of God?
• Is it easier to judge or turn a blind eye to strangers than it is to find compassion or empathy for the people I see from day to day?
• Does my witness to the world match the faith in my heart?
• Would someone on the street recognize Christ in me, or would they only see the same old sinful world based on my actions, attitude, and words?

Let’s pray together.

Father God, thank you for working on my heart today.  Thank you for your daily mercy and grace.  God, I ask that You show me the flaws in my heart, those places where I am lacking empathy or compassion for others.  I ask that You help me to walk with humility, knowing that I am not a righteous woman nor am I higher or better than anyone else, but I am saved and redeemed by Your Grace alone.  Please help me grow in spiritual maturity so that You may use me as Your hands and feet, as Your witness and laborer, for Your great purpose.  In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Author’s Bio at the time of publication:

April Burkhalter is a Pastor’s Wife in Channelview.  She has 7 children (15-28 years old), works full time as a Project Management Finance Controller, and teaches a Christ-based recovery system.  April enjoys singing and reading and loves people where they are in life.  She calls Alvin home.

On the evening of April 1, 2026 April and her youngest son, James, were called home to be with the Lord after a tragic car accident.  During her tenure of service with South Texas Women’s Ministries she was an active member of the STXWM Core Team and the San Jacinto Women’s Ministries Section Leader.  The effects of her ministry and the life that she lived will be felt in eternity.  

The South Texas Women’s Ministries Department wants to share April’s words once again so that all that read them will hear the cry of Jesus’ heart for laborers to join the harvest.  April’s absence will be felt here but Heaven rings today with her singing as she sits at the feet of her Savior with her sweet son, James.  This is not goodbye but rather, see you soon.

We extend our prayers for strength and peace, and our most sincere condolences the Burkharlter family until we all see April and James again.