John 6:8,9
Another of His disciples, Andrew, Peter's
brother, spoke up. "Here is a boy with five small barley loaves
and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?"
Read John 6:1-15
A little boy will be immortalized through out history for teaching a very vital lesson. He gave all he had and Jesus
made a feast from that small gift. Jesus has a way of taking the small offerings we give and make a lot of good come of it.
The little boy could only have had a small amount of food. The barley loaves would have been about the size of a biscuit and the fish about the size of a smelt or large minnow. That's not much in our temporal way of looking at things but a fairly decent lunch for a little boy.
Nothing is ever mentioned about his family or who he was with. This little boy looked at what he had, looked at the problem before him and offered a solution. Andrew looked at the offering and saw at least the groundwork for a meal. Phillip saw only a problem. Jesus saw an opportunity for a great learning experience for His followers. He knew what He had planned all along but wanted the disciples to work at a solution. He has always wanted us, His followers, to think outside the box.
He wanted them to look at the problem from His perspective
and ask for His solution. Jesus wants us to look at the trials
and difficulties as a good learning ground. He has all the
answers. We just need to learn to ask and listen and trust.
When we look at the small talents and gifts that we have and offer them back to the Lord as a love offering, He is faithful to honor them and multiple them back at a hundred fold or a thousand fold. If we offer Him the gift of hospitality or leadership or teaching or as a prayer warrior, He will multiply our efforts to make a difference in many lives.
Jesus looks less at what we are offering and more at the fact we are offering it. He will take our offering and make it more than enough to supply the needs. Whatever we offer, He will bless us with His mercy and grace and deep abiding love.
While we may not see the feast that comes from our offerings, Jesus sees and rejoices over us with singing. He gives to those who use their gifts for the purpose they were created for, an eternal reward. We can never repay what He paid for our salvation, nor should we try. But we can offer back to Him our time, talents and most of all, our love.
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