The Feeding of the Five Thousand

⁸ Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, ⁹ “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”
 ¹⁰ Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). ¹¹ Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.
 ¹² When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” ¹³ So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten. (ESV)

So we have all heard the story, right? Jesus takes some kid's lunch, prays for it, and SHAZAM! it becomes enough food to feed five thousand people. This is amazing I agree, but as I was thinking about this story the other day I was left with some questions. The first is one I have had before: why can't I multiply food with my prayers? The second question was new and even more fascinating: why in the world would the boy give up his food?

I mean, this kid is surrounded by five thousand hungry people, he has got to know that normally under these circumstances he is not getting his lunch back. When there are five thousand people following one guy and there is not enough food, the guy that is popular enough to attract the crowd is going to get first dibs, and his best friends are going to get what is left over. This kid is, for all intents and purposes, giving up his food at the price of going hungry.

All of a sudden this story hits uncomfortably close to home. I do not have much (by American standards), and how often do I withhold giving to God because I think there will not be enough left over for me? Answer: too often. The irony is that this is to my detriment, but we will discuss that in a second. This withholding of what I ought to give to God reveals my continuing need for a regenerated heart. Perhaps I simply need to be like the boy and say, "Yeah, this probably means I am going to go without." I think it is when you reach this point that God reveals his ace in the hole; which brings me back to my first question.

Why can't I make more food by prayer? Or more money? Answer: I am not Jesus. It seems to be an ever-present corrective for me to remember that it is in Jesus that power is found; not prayer, not the Bible, not worship songs, not a particular community, nothing but Jesus, his Spirit, God. So what would happen if I were to adopt this faithful child's mentality? We must not ever forget that the boy left with more than he came with, he ate his meal and was full and took home leftovers. Not only that, but every person there was satiated through Jesus' provision. Therefore, if I, or any other disciple of Christ, trusts his or her Lord to the point of giving their last sustenance, we will find that bread can be multiplied, that our meager sum can feed not only ourselves, but the multitude.