John 6:1-14

 ⁵When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” ⁶He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. ⁷Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!” ⁸Another 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?”… (about five thousand men were there). ¹¹Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated … ¹³they filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten. ¹⁴After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say,

“Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.”

The Lord needs your lunch …

Philip was a problem-solver with good situational awareness; he calculated quickly what would be needed to give everybody even a bite to eat. It probably was his instinct to start a fundraiser and gather volunteers to reach the goal. However, he had to recognize that the task ahead of him was impossible: Even if they had had enough money, the amount of bread required would not have been available in the nearby shops. It is only natural to despair in front of such a challenge.

Imagine being the boy. Your mother has packed you a few pieces of bread for lunch—barley, considered more fit for animals, as your family is among the poorest, but at least it will keep your hunger away—and some fish to go with the bread.

The Lord needs your lunch. What can the Lord possibly want to do with what little I have? And shouldn’t I take care of my own hunger—it’s not like you can do miracles with that? But since it was the Lord asking, the boy shared in faith what little he had. In return, he got to be part of God’s big plan, his kingdom. He also got to eat as much as he wanted. He certainly did not know he would be mentioned in the only miracle recorded in all four gospels.

God makes abundance from scarcity and provides his faithful followers with an abundance in all we need. He is generous beyond imagination. He has, however, decided to work his miracles through us, his followers. We may feel we have little to offer, but we must not let that stop us. God calls us to give in faith what we have, not what we wish we had or could have in the future. He is in charge and he alone is responsible for the results.

Prayer

Lord, give us the faith to say to you: “Here is what I have; you can have it all, and you have my hands and my mouth. Although I do not know or understand what you plan to do with it, I still give it willingly, and ask you to use it to further your kingdom according to your majestic plans.” Thank you for giving us bread and the other necessities we need. We praise you for being the Bread of Life that feeds all who come to you. Amen.