Despite warnings of the prophet Hosea, God’s people acted as if they could do without Him—never a good idea! In contrast, a woman received healing after touching Jesus’ cloak, and the Lord responded to an official’s faith by bringing his daughter back to life. Crowds seemed like sheep in need of a shepherd, but commissioning the Twelve to preach and heal in His name seemed to Jesus like sending sheep into a wolf pack. For the time being, He told the Apostles to avoid pagan towns, flee when unwelcome, and know that the Holy Spirit would speak through them if they faced persecution. If we have avoided expressing our faith to some people, do we ask the Lord for His input and the grace to make His love known through our words and actions?