Seeing Your Gifts as Bread and Fish

Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?" (John 6:9 NIV) "If you read the whole accompanying story in John or one of the similar accounts in Matthew, Mark or Luke, you will see that Jesus answers this question by taking the gifts offered, blessing them and giving thanks then distributing them to the crowd gathered. When it is all done they pick up baskets full of pieces left over.

Conservative scholars would say Jesus actually multiplies the bread and fish to feed the multitude (and I must confess that I rather like that interpretation). Those of more liberal leaning might say that he moved the hearts of the people to share the food that they had with them. Some would ask which is really the greater miracle. Perhaps both were going on.

My point is not to debate what really happened, but to point out that God can multiply our seemingly small gifts and do far more with them, than we can ever imagine. Our job is to offer them to God, like little children, to share what we have and to trust God with the results. Watch out though miracles do happen.

There is a little girl in our church named Jena. Jena often greets me with a hug. It often makes my day and she hugs others also. Can you imagine the wave of good tidings and love that little one produces. I bet it spills over to hundreds of lives as others in turn our warmed and pass it on.

Consider the person who has a kind word for the woman at the checkout stand. It turns her whole day around. She shares a word of encouragement with a fellow worker. Renewed in spirit they go home and greet their children who pass it on to the dad, the dog and the neighbors. And so the cycle of love continues and is multiplied, all because of one small act.

Consider our financial gifts as well. Suppose you give a gift to world hunger. Lets say to Lutheran World Relief or World Vision if you prefer. Perhaps it is a small gift. What is it among so many? But can't God move the hearts of others to give as well and so the gift is multiplied. Can't he move your heart to do the same thing week after week and so it is multiplied. Can't he use it to buy seed which is planted and grows more food and more seed and so on, the gift is multiplied. Can't he use it to buy a pair of goats, which have baby goats, which in turn have more baby goats and so the gift is multiplied. Can't he use the gift to save the life of a child, who grows up to be the benevolent leader of his country and so the gift is multiplied. Yes, and can't he if he so chooses use your gift to miraculously feed more people than you can ever imagine.

More and more I view my time, talent and treasure; my words; my life, as fish and bread. Here they are Lord do with them as you please. I'm expecting miracles.

Here are some practical possibilities to get you started.

1. Determine to greet everyone with a kind word (yes, even telemarketers). Ask God to bless them and do great things through them.
   
2. Skip lunch once a week and donate the money to your favorite charity. Ask God to do miraculous things with your gift.
   
3. Write a letter of encouragement to someone. Ask God to use it in ways you can't even imagine.
   
4. Count your blessings. (OK, not original.) Ask God to make you a blessing to others.
   
5. Invest some of your time and/or money in a promising (or not so promising) young (or not so young) person. Ask God to do great things through them.
   

Copyright © 2005 by R. Michael Freed, MainlineMinistries.com You are free to share this for noncommercial uses, as long as these copyright notices are attached. Thank you! Unless otherwise noted Sriptures are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.