Use What You Have

His disciples answered, “But where in this remote place can anyone get enough bread to feed them?” “How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked. “Seven,” they replied.                       Mark 8:4-5

This passage from the book of Mark recalls the time when Jesus fed 4000 people- with seven loaves of bread and a few small fish. This miracle illustrates so much to me. First, this miracle could have taken place if Jesus had no bread and no fish. He could have performed the miracle any way he chose. But he chose to use what he had in order to illustrate some things to us. Namely, Use what you have, even if you don’t think it is enough.

I can just imagine that conversation with the disciples when they told him that they could not procure food for these masses of people. They were in the middle of nowhere. Jesus, thinking about the needs of the people, refused to send them off without feeding them.

So, Jesus said, “How many loaves do you have?” They said- “Seven”. I can just see Jesus saying, “Well that should do it. We got this”. He wanted to show them that with him, they could use their puny resources and do great things for other people.

Jesus also wanted them to be part of the miracle. He used the bread and small fish that they had gathered up in order to feed to crowd. They were to distribute the food, then collect the leftovers- yeah, the leftovers!

The intent of the story? Use what you have to serve others. Our job is to trust and serve, it is not to be fixed on the outcome. Jesus can take care of the outcome just fine.

We just bring those few loaves and a couple of small fish.

Prayer: Lord, thanks for the plan to use us in your work, Amen