What do you have?

Luke 9:12-17

New International Version (NIV)

Late in the afternoon the Twelve came to him and said, “Send the crowd away so they can go to the surrounding villages and countryside and find food and lodging, because we are in a remote place here.”

He replied, “You give them something to eat.”

They answered, “We have only five loaves of bread and two fish—unless we go and buy food for all this crowd.” (About five thousand men were there.)

But he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” The disciples did so, and everyone sat down. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke them. Then he gave them to the disciples to distribute to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketful of broken pieces that were left over.

We all know this one. It is one of Jesus' best known miracles. He fed over 5000 (Men, not including women and children) with just a small boys lunch. Five loaves and two fish. We all know how much of a miracle this was.

I was talking to my sister, Candy, this morning on the phone, we got to talking about miracles. She brought this up, as to reference what God could do. She made a comment to me about how that little boy did not have to share his lunch, he could have kept it for himself, I mean, it was for him. This got my wheels turning and I asked her if I could borrow her thought, so here it is: (With thanks to my Sis, Candy.)

5000 people gathered to hear Jesus' words. They followed Him, out to where they could all fit and He could address them all together. Do you think this little boy was the only one who brought some food? They had no idea how long they were going to be there, they may have traveled for miles to meet Jesus. Don't you think others had come prepared, with lunch too? Why is this little boy the only one who offered his lunch, when they mentioned food? Did others, think about it and then think: "I only have enough for me, how could this feed all these here?" Maybe they did not want to share what they had, maybe they had their favorite lunch along with them, and did not want anyone else to have it. Who knows? But there is one thing we do know: The faith of a child, fed those there that day, as much as the power of Jesus Christ.

What if no one came forward with what they had? How would Jesus fed those there that day? I am sure He would have figured something out. BUT He did not have to, a small boy offered what he had, to be used by Jesus.

The question now is: What do you have? Is it "not enough to be used by God?", Is it mine and "I love it, and don't want anyone else to use, or see it"? What do you have that God can use, but are hording onto? "God, all I have are these 5 loaves and these two fish, what can you do with them?" You would be very surprised what God can do with what we give Him.

When we ,as adults, use our Wisdom and knowledge on things "Religious" guess what happens many times? We lose our "Child Like Faith". When you tell a kid that your going to take them to Six Flags this summer, what do they do? They KNOW it is going to happen, they might not know when yet, but they know it will happen, because you said it. When God tells us He will provide for us, and not to worry, what do we, as adults, usually do? Worry about HOW, God is going to provide. Kids don't usually worry about the "How" but just the "When" This should put all us adults to shame. When God says something, or asks us for something there should only be these words out of our mouth: "When, God, When?" He will tell us.

This young boy knew one thing that afternoon, he knew Jesus needed food, and he knew he had some. He did not think about what Jesus would do with what he gave Him, just that there was a need and he could meet it.

I would like to imagine this young man to have grown up and been a light to that part of the world. I would like to imagine he went around giving to whoever needed what he had. I can imagine he learned a very valuable lesson that day, that whatever we have, Jesus can use.

What do you have?