John 6:5 – Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?
A great multitude followed Him.
Jesus always had a great many who followed Him, though for different reasons. Some followed Him to listen to Him, some for the signs He did.
Whatever the reason, Jesus found that as He looked around Him that day, a great multitude had followed Him to the mountain beside the Sea of Galilee. Jesus knew that the people were hungry. As He saw the crowds, He could have sent them away. But He chose to meet not just their spiritual need but their physical need too. Jesus had compassion on them (Mark 6:34). What a loving God we have!
Jesus tests Philip with the obvious question, where shall we buy bread for this great crowd? Being the practical man he was, Philip quickly worked out the cost and logistics and came up with the figures, which were impossible to meet.
Andrew, on the other hand, brings to Jesus a little boy. The boy had barely anything worth even mentioning as compared to the great need of the moment, just five loaves of barley and two small fish. Andrew could have said this is too little, it would be of no use, and not even mention it. But Andrew chose to bring the boy to Jesus. The boy was willing and he chose to share his little with the Lord. And the rest, as they say, is history!
Now could the Lord have fed this multitude without the help of anyone else? Of course, He could! And yet, He chose to involve His disciples and the little boy. A multitude was blessed because of the little that the boy chose to share. A multitude was blessed because Andrew chose to trust the Lord for a solution rather than focus on the problem.
Our choices matter.
The need in the world around us is great and what we have may seem ridiculously inadequate. And yet, like the little boy, may we choose to embrace faith over logic, offer our five loaves and two fish to the Master today, and trust Him. He will meet our needs and the needs of many others too.
Lord, I don’t have much to give, but what I have I choose to give to you. Would you use it to bless many?
Author
Preethi Alice Jacob
Preethi Jacob is the author of the yearlong devotional At the Potter’s Wheel, Day by Day. Her journey includes teaching a Bible Study Fellowship class, teaching and leading the Sunday School ministry in her church, leading Bible studies, besides counselling young women. She serves on the Global Mission Team of the United Bible Societies and lives in Bangalore, India with her husband and two young adult children.
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