(no subject)
In the gospel of John, right near the beginning in chapter 6, there is a pretty amazing story about Jesus feeding thousands of people. This story has been told and retold and carries such weight and meaning that even though I have heard and reheard it countless times, on Sunday night I was struck silent by something new.
There is a small boy in the passage who gets one brief mention. The disciple Andrew tells Jesus that this kid is there, with five rolls and two fish. Jesus then performs the miracle and feeds five thousand. Pretty sweet, right? I have always been slightly in awe to think of this. But Sunday night, all I could think of was this boy. I couldn't help but picture it. Five thousand men (not to mention women, and children) sitting hungry. And here this small boy goes and tugs on Andrew's sleeve, and lifts to him his food. I doubt the boy had any idea of the miracle that was to come. His was just a small sacrifice, offering five rolls and two fish. I doubt he thought it would feed the group. Maybe he thought it would be enough for Christ, and saw that alone as worthy of the sacrifice. Whatever he thought was going to happen, it's still a lesson for us. Here are the some of the things that have left me open-mouthed.
+ It is an unasked sacrifice. The crowd wasn't surveyed, or food demanded of them.
+ It is given without condition. The boy doesn't keep some for himself, he doesn't demand to be fed as well.
+ The boy has no idea of what is to come, or the result of his offering. It's not, speaking in terms of the five thousand gathered, a large offer. But he offers what he has, and offers it gladly. He doesn't worry whether it will be enough, or what Christ will think of him for offering so little. He simply gives what he has to the Lord. And it is enough.
+ That his small supply of food is God's provision for the group. Though I've no doubt that Christ could have worked a miracle if the boy wasn't there, I'm also doubtless that it would have happened any other way under our Sovereign God. God had prepared the boy for this day, prepared this day for the boy. This day was ordained long in advance. His rolls and fish may seem little, but God had counted it in His plan, and God used it for miraculous things.
There is a small boy in the passage who gets one brief mention. The disciple Andrew tells Jesus that this kid is there, with five rolls and two fish. Jesus then performs the miracle and feeds five thousand. Pretty sweet, right? I have always been slightly in awe to think of this. But Sunday night, all I could think of was this boy. I couldn't help but picture it. Five thousand men (not to mention women, and children) sitting hungry. And here this small boy goes and tugs on Andrew's sleeve, and lifts to him his food. I doubt the boy had any idea of the miracle that was to come. His was just a small sacrifice, offering five rolls and two fish. I doubt he thought it would feed the group. Maybe he thought it would be enough for Christ, and saw that alone as worthy of the sacrifice. Whatever he thought was going to happen, it's still a lesson for us. Here are the some of the things that have left me open-mouthed.
+ It is an unasked sacrifice. The crowd wasn't surveyed, or food demanded of them.
+ It is given without condition. The boy doesn't keep some for himself, he doesn't demand to be fed as well.
+ The boy has no idea of what is to come, or the result of his offering. It's not, speaking in terms of the five thousand gathered, a large offer. But he offers what he has, and offers it gladly. He doesn't worry whether it will be enough, or what Christ will think of him for offering so little. He simply gives what he has to the Lord. And it is enough.
+ That his small supply of food is God's provision for the group. Though I've no doubt that Christ could have worked a miracle if the boy wasn't there, I'm also doubtless that it would have happened any other way under our Sovereign God. God had prepared the boy for this day, prepared this day for the boy. This day was ordained long in advance. His rolls and fish may seem little, but God had counted it in His plan, and God used it for miraculous things.