the harvest needs our prayer first...

In Matthew 9:35-38 we have the ever popular missionary text that Jesus taught about the laborers and the harvest [note: this post is in no way attempting to diminish mission work. Missions (both local and international) is a very vital ministry and held in high regard by the author.]. As i was looking over this passage today I noticed something, nowhere in this passage does Jesus send the disciples to go collect the harvest that he is speaking about. Later on in chapter ten he does commission the twelve to go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, but in the immediate context of this passage Jesus does not send them out. I do not question at all that there needs to be an increase in the laborers around the world but I do not believe that was Jesus' main point in his teaching here in this text. He does propose the problem "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few;" but notice the semi-colon (at least it is one in the ESV) , it means he does not stop there, he also gives the disciples (and us) the answer, or solution, to that problem. "Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest." After noticing the need for the harvest (wherever it is Africa, New York City, the coffee shop in your home town) the first and only real solution that Jesus gives us in this passage is to pray for God to bring His laborers to come and collect His harvest. It is interesting how it all centers around God it is His harvest to bring in. This passage is not a call to action but a call to faith. We need to be trusting that God will bring His laborers to collect His harvest. However another responsibility is listen to God and desiring to follow HIs will in all we do. So God could call us to be His laborers for that harvest, but our first duty, or rather privilege, is to pray to God out of of a truly compassionate heart for the lost hurting and helpless people that we see.