Most of us are familiar with the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000. But allow me to zoom in to the young boy with the five loaves and two fish.
Jesus could have easily prayed for food from heaven. He is the same God who fed the Israelites manna from heaven for years. But He didn’t do that.
Instead He chose to involve a young boy in His orchestration of a miracle. Here was a boy with his lunch who was probably hanging out close enough to Jesus and the disciples that the disciples noticed he had food. Imagine a crowd of 5,000 men, their wives, and children, so we’re talking about at least 15,000 individuals! How did the disciples spot this boy among a crowd of this size? Could this little boy have stayed close because he was especially curious about this Jesus that all the adults were talking about? I wonder.
He willingly shared his food, probably remembering his parents’ teaching from the Law that he is to love his neighbor as himself (Lev. 19:18). But looking across the crowds, he probably wondered how his little lunch could possibly feed so many. Yet he agreed to share.
So the little boy fixes his eyes on Jesus as He takes the five loaves and two fish, gives thanks, and has them distributed to the thousands. And he can’t seem to get his eyes off of the disciples as they are offering the food to the first family, then the second, then the third, the fourth and the fifth! Surely if each family got only one loaf they’d be gone by now! He stares in sheer shock that the loaves and fish seem to be enough for hundreds! Then he loses sight of the disciples in the crowd. And moments later he is faced with the reality of the miracle! Every single person is fed and there are twelve baskets of leftovers! I can imagine the boy looking into his small empty lunch box and then looking at the twelve baskets of leftovers in utter amazement!
Can you imagine the joy he felt for being a part of this amazing miracle? Those of you who have children, or have been around children for long periods of time, can imagine the smile of child-like pride on this boy’s face. “Jesus used MYYY food to feed ALLL those people! I’m so glad I shared!”
Don’t we as adults wish to smile this same kind of smile and have this same deep sense of achievement? We are designed to be part of a larger story; a metanarrative, but often find ourselves going around in endless circles in our own little stories.
The little boy did two things: he was close enough to Jesus and he was willing to give up his lunch even though it didn’t make much sense to him. Are we close enough to Jesus to hear His voice? Are we at peace enough to hear the Holy Spirit speak to our hearts? And are we willing to give up our loaves and fish when He asks, not knowing what’s next?
Only then will we be part of His grand story and will we watch in awe as He uses the little that we have to bless thousands. You may be unsure what your loaves and fish are. The answer is only a question away. Ask Him and He will lovingly point them out.
Then my friends, while you do your best to use the loaves and fish He has given you, you will watch in awe as He multiplies them and uses them above and beyond your imagination. And you can then have that same smile on your face as you proudly yet humbly declare, “WE fed the 5,000!” What an awesome God we have who can easily do it on His own, yet chooses to share 🙂