Little Becomes Much

19 Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. (Matthew 14:19)

After Jesus taught about the reign of God in and through the lives of each believer, he received the difficult news of the death of John the baptizer - Jesus' cousin and friend. Jesus and his disciples attempted to take some time away from the crowds, but the people realized where their boat was heading and met them there seeking healing.

Rather than becoming annoyed at having to put his own needs on hold, Jesus had compassion and met the needs of those who came. As the day progressed, the disciples - believing they only had enough to feed themselves - asked Jesus to encourage the people to go away to get food. But Jesus took this opportunity to display the kingdom he'd been talking about - the small seed, when planted, breaking open to become more than it could have been in it's original form. Placed in Jesus' hands, the little that the disciples had was blessed and broken for increase.

Just as Jesus invited the hungry crowd to stay in a place of seeming insufficiency, and the disciples to give what could never be enough, Jesus invites us to sit in our discomfort and uncertainty - trusting God - and watch God move. God can take what seems, in our hands, a meager offering and supply the needs of multitudes. Whatever God has placed in our hands, in our hearts, God can use to meet needs beyond ourselves and to draw people to the One who supplies all our needs.

8 The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. 9 The LORD is good to all, and his compassion is over all that he has made. 14 The LORD upholds all who are falling, and raises up all who are bowed down. 15 The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season. 16 You open your hand, satisfying the desire of every living thing. (Psalm 145:8-9,14-16)

Blessed and Broken, by Nicole C. Mullen