Mark 6:34
And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things.

The multitudes were clamoring they hardly knew what for.  There was something about Jesus that drew them to Him.  Maybe it really was only because of the healings or some other miracle they had seen.  Maybe it was simple curiosity.  Maybe it was just the sort of novelty of what was happening every time Jesus was there.  Maybe they were simply following the crowd.  But maybe there was something else about Jesus, His love and compassion they could sense, the light of His Spirt they could see in Him.

Jesus always had compassion when He looked upon the people, and He desired to meet their specific needs.  The heart of the Great Shepherd is to gather up these stray sheep and unite them with His flock.  He longs to be their provider, their leader, their Savior.  The love He has for them with just a glance at their current condition compels Him to intervene in their lives.  And the greatest need they had was to learn the truth of God.

Whatever it was that drew all these people to seek out Jesus wherever He went, it provided Him with a captive audience.  His emphasis was always on teaching the people whenever they gathered to Him, and the most important thing He could offer them was the wisdom of the Word of God.  The thing that would make the most difference in their lives was the truth of what He was saying to them.  The thing that would produce the most radical change in each and every one of them was His teaching.

The same is true for us, as well.  There are many amazing things that Jesus can do.  He can provide for us in so many ways.  He can heal, He can cleanse, He can feed us.  But the greatest thing He will give us are His words of life, the truth of God.  So may we go to Him not just for what He will give to us or do for us, but what He will teach us.  A treasure trove of wisdom awaits us if we’ll humbly sit at His feet and learn of Him.  Then we will go away much more satisfied than if we had simply seen Jesus perform a miracle, because His Word will continue to work in us in many amazing ways.