WHEN LITTLE MATTERS MUCH
John 6:9 NKJV
9 "There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?"
John is recalling the story of when Jesus fed the multitudes with five barley loaves and two small fish. Jesus acknowledged the multitudes and wanted to feed them. So He asked Phillip, one of the twelve, about buying bread. Phillip answered that the money they most likely had in their account was 200 denarii, and that was not going to get the job done. Phillip was looking at the problem from a purely natural physical perspective.
Andrew, brother to Peter and another one of the twelve, had another solution but saw it as limited. He mentioned the young boy and what he offered to Jesus. But, like Phillip, Andrew saw the problem from a physical standpoint. They had some loaves and fish available, but that was such a small amount in the face of such a large problem. What are they among so many?
Because we know how this story ends, we skip over the dilemma that Phillip and Andrew faced. Jesus wanted to feed multitudes, but the resources to do this were not enough. Their resources were small considering the magnitude of the problem. These guys are looking at their bank accounts and material goods and know it wasn't going to get the job done.
Andrew's response is understandable but limited. He may have forgotten who he was dealing with. Maybe a better response would have been; Lord, we don't have much to work with here; what would You have us to do? Again, I am not faulting Andrew or Phillip. I have done the same thing - looked at the problem from the window of my own limitations. I have looked at what I had as small instead of looking at what I have as seed. When they put the five loaves and two fish in Jesus' hand, in effect planting a seed, Jesus, through God's power, was able to do something amazing with the small amount of resources.
Jesus was able to take what was given to Him and multiply it to the point that everyone ate until they were filled. It's one thing to provide a snack. It's totally another to feed people until they are full. And yet, there were still leftovers. Not just enough, but more than enough.
APPLICATION
Too often, it's too easy to look at the magnitude of the problems and challenges we face and determine that what we have is not enough. I am not limiting this 'not enough' mentality to material resources. We often think our faith is not enough. That our prayers are not enough. That our service for God does not amount to much. But if we will put what we have in God's hand, especially when He impresses us to do something that will help people, we can see our little become much with His involvement.
This year let's plant seeds of faith, prayer, money, and service and give them to the Lord. It may not seem like much at first, but with His involvement, little seeds can do big things!
PRAYER
Lord, show me where I have limited Your involvement in my life. I don't want to measure You by my limited resources.