The story of Jesus feeding the five thousand is one of the most iconic and memorable stories in the Bible. Earlier this week when I was telling my family that I was speaking on this passage, Sophia (8 years old) piped up and said she knew the story well from her Rhyme Bible (Bible stories told through rhymes – I recommend!) The story appears in all four gospels and stands as a significant event in Jesus’s ministry in and around Jerusalem.
The version of the story in the book of John appears in John 6:1-13. It begins with Jesus crossing the Galilee Sea where he’s met by a large crowd who has followed him. The versions in the other gospels mention that the day was getting late, and the disciples advised Jesus to send the crowds away to find food for themselves.
In John 6:5, Jesus asks Philip, one of his disciples, “Where will we buy food to feed these people?” Philip replies (v.7) “More than a half year’s salary worth of food wouldn’t be enough for each person to have even a little bit.” I think Philip’s reaction to Jesus’s question was very natural. However, in verse 6, we find out that Jesus’s intention in this question was to test Philip.
In some ways, I think Jesus testing Philip was meant to train him up as a disciple. Like many of us, Philip was accustomed to seeing things with his natural eyes. Philip sees the vastness of the crowd, does a bit of quick math, and realizes there is no way they could feed all the people. But then, Jesus performs a miracle that defies all expectations.
One of the lessons we can draw from this story is that we need to learn to see with different eyes. Like Philip, we are all accustomed to seeing our lives and circumstances in very natural ways. When we encounter challenges or difficult situations, often our first instinct is like Philip–to do a little math, draw conclusions, and think of possible outcomes.
However, I think one challenge for us as a church family is to learn to inquire of God first, before simply using our natural eyes to see our situations. One way to do this is using the STAR method. When we face difficulties, instead of immediately responding, we can STAR–stop, take a breather, appreciate Jesus, and respond in faith. As we learn to inquire of God first in our circumstances, we begin to see with different eyes–the eyes of Jesus, as opposed to our natural tendencies.
Another important lesson from the story comes through Andrew’s response to the situation. When Andrew sees the crowd, he says, “A youth here has five barley loaves and two fish. But what good is that for a crowd like this?” Again, Andrew used his natural eyes when Jesus had something very different in mind. Jesus takes the food, says a blessing, and multiplies it to feed all five thousand people.
Five loaves and two fish is a tiny amount of food compared to the masses who needed it. However, it wasn’t the size of the offering that mattered in the story, it was the fact that it was in the hands of Jesus. I think a similar principle applies to us. Jesus doesn’t require large offerings or big things from us. Jesus requires people of faith who will hear His voice, and respond faithfully. The challenge for us as followers of Jesus is to learn to listen to Jesus well, and obey quickly. When we’re hearing God, even the smallest act of obedience, like five loaves and two fish, can be a miracle.
What are the five loaves and two fish in your hands? We’re hosting a dinner for refugees on December 9. It may be tempting to think, “what can one small dinner do for people who are in such need?” But even one small dinner in obedience to Jesus’s voice can become a miracle. What is most important is not the size of the offering, but whether it’s in Jesus’s hands. As we learn in our lives to turn to God first and listen in prayer, even the smallest acts of obedience can become something wonderful.