And He took him aside from the multitude, and put His fingers in his ears, and He spat and touched his tongue. Then, looking up to heaven, He sighed, and said to him, "Ephphatha," that is, "Be opened." Immediately his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke plainly.
Mark 7:33-35
Look at the first words here: "He took him aside from the multitude." Here was a deaf man who must have felt a little bit awkward; he was surrounded by hundreds of staring people and had trouble speaking. But Jesus shows us once again how sensitive and compassionate He is towards people. Jesus knew how uncomfortable this man was in this crowded place, so Jesus brought him aside to take care of his needs. If there were any walls or barriers in this man's life, Jesus wiped them all away by showing this kind of tenderness and compassion.
Maybe you are a new believer, or someone who hasn't yet given your life to the Lord Jesus, and you feel awkward; you don't know what to do. Maybe the crowds of the church scare you or you feel inadequate to attend, so you don't bother showing up. Or maybe the world scares you and you're not living as a light for Him. Jesus wants to abolish those feelings that you have, and He wants to take you aside and minister to you. I learned a simple lesson years ago: crowds of people are just a bunch of individuals. Each individual has problems, concerns, and issues, and none of us are exempt from that. When Jesus looked at a crowd, He saw individuals…who needed His touch. And today, Jesus is looking at the world--full of individuals like you and me--and He wants to do the same thing for you. Be encouraged today; Jesus is reaching out to you, offering to take you aside and minister to your needs.
