Devotional: Next Door- Notice. Pray. Obey.
“Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. They all ate and were satisfied.”
— Mark 6:41–42 (NIV)
When Jesus fed the five thousand, He could have done it all Himself. He didn’t need help. But instead, He chose to work through His disciples. He invited them into the miracle.
That’s what love does — it pulls others into the story of God’s compassion.
In this passage, we see three simple steps that reveal what it looks like to love our neighbors like Jesus: notice, pray, and obey.
It starts when we notice the needs around us. Jesus looked at the crowd and “had compassion on them.” Love begins when we stop long enough to see people the way He sees them. But it doesn’t stop there. When we notice someone’s need, our next move is to bring it to Jesus in prayer. Prayer admits that the problem is bigger than us. It invites God to step in — and when we pray, He often softens our hearts to become part of the solution.
Then comes obedience. Jesus told His disciples, “You give them something to eat.” It felt impossible, but they offered what they had — five loaves and two fish. That’s when the miracle happened.
When you bring what you have to Jesus, He takes it, blesses it, breaks it, and multiplies it. He turns ordinary obedience into extraordinary impact.
So if something feels too big or too hard, don’t walk away. Notice. Pray. Obey. Bring what you have — even if it’s just a little — and let Jesus do what only He can do.
When your prayer meets His compassion, people experience His love.
Discussion Questions
What keeps you from noticing the needs of people around you?
When was the last time you brought someone else’s need to Jesus in prayer?
What small act of obedience might Jesus be inviting you into right now?
How can you remind yourself that “you don’t have to have enough” for God to work through you?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, open my eyes to see the people You’ve placed right in front of me. Give me the courage to notice, the humility to pray, and the faith to obey. Take what I have — my time, my resources, my heart — and use it to show Your love to someone else. Thank You that You still multiply small things into miracles. Amen.
Additional Reading
Luke 10:25–37 – The Parable of the Good Samaritan
Philippians 2:3–4 – Looking to the interests of others
James 2:14–17 – Faith and deeds
John 6:1–14 – The Feeding of the Five Thousand
You don’t need to have everything figured out to love your neighbor. You just need to start where you are, with what you have. God can do more with your small act of obedience than you could ever imagine.
