Have you ever witnessed a miracle? Can you imagine seeing one through the wonder of a child’s eyes?
If you were a child who gave a gift resulting in a miracle, what would you think?
I bet it would stay in your memory FOREVER!
I know my youngest daughter has witnessed more than one miracle and remembers them. In fact, she was part of some of them.
Young Children
When we think of children, we don’t exactly imagine them being willing to give anything since sharing doesn’t come naturally.
It’s much easier picturing rebellion and disobedience, even though we know deep-down they are a blessing. Maybe that’s because raising children isn’t exactly easy.
I’m glad Jesus knows the value of children.
He knew young children love easy, learn quickly, trust and obey often, and forgive expediently. That is probably why God chose to use some of them to perform miracles and probably why I’ve always enjoyed teaching them.
Young children often don’t feel loved or have the confidence Jesus intended so I’m extremely thankful the Bible has several accounts where children were part of miracles.
What a lesson to them, and to us!
Jesus wants us to be like little children and I pray this Biblical account we read often soaks deeper than normal and changes your focus to how a simple act of trust and obeying can produce a miracle in your life.
Notice he didn’t say to be like teenagers. He knows how confused and rebellious they can be, but that is sometimes the type of child we are.
Before the Miracle
Have you ever heard the saying, “All’s well that ends well?”
That is how the feeding of the 5,000 day went.
No one likes to start their day with bad news, but that is how Jesus’ started that particular day. He learned his cousin, John the Baptist, who had prepared the way for Him, had been killed by the king. John’s head had been chopped off.
Shortly thereafter, Jesus met with his disciples to hear how their ministry event panned out. He had sent them out 2 by 2 to heal the sick and cast out demons. Their reports were interrupted by people who recognized them coming and going.
Finally, Jesus told the disciples they would leave to a remote area where they could rest and eat. They all were hungry.
Nothing goes the way you expect or desire when you are in the ministry – let alone when emotionally downtrodden and tired. Sure, didn’t for Jesus and His disciples either.
They were being followed.
No, wait! They were being passed by
Those eager to learn from the anointed man who had powerfully preached in the temple and healed the sick, ran along the shore faster than the boat Jesus rowed in flowed.
An eager-to-learn crowd awaited them.
Jesus being Jesus, had compassion on them. It didn’t matter how He felt. His needs didn’t come first.
Good thing.
- He taught some more.
- He healed the sick.
- He cast out more demons.
- He did what He was called to do.
The Miracle
This miracle is found in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and John – each with a few facts not found in the other accounts.
Dark was coming upon them, and Jesus asked His disciples something they deemed impossible.
In one account, a disciple asked Jesus what they should do in which Jesus replied, “Feed them.”
Of course, He knew He was testing His disciples.
Don’t you know that got their goat, so to speak?
I don’t think puzzled or frustrated even began describing what they might be feeling.
Only in John’s account was the little boy mentioned. Andrew told Jesus there was a little boy with two fish and five loaves.
The story quickly jumped to what Jesus did with that small gift. You know, lifting it toward heaven, giving God thanks, then dividing it as food was passed out.
It was the gift that kept on going.
- It didn’t matter that there were 5,000 men.
- It didn’t matter those men had wives and children.
- It didn’t matter most had eaten all day and were starving.
- It didn’t matter the size of the gift or their palate.
- It didn’t matter if they wanted seconds.
All needs were met – with 12 baskets in leftovers to carry home.
This miracle didn’t depend on the faith of the disciples, the little boy, or those in attendance. This miracle happened to show what God is capable of and to give Him glory!
He still does the same today!
The Boy’s Point of View
Here a little boy had trotted along, either willingly or possibly dragged. Either way, he more than likely lost interest at some point in the afternoon. Probably wanted to go fishing or pull out the lunch packed for him and eat it himself.
When asked if anyone had any food, he might have thought about his squished Barley loaves, not much bigger than a Zinger or Twinkie. But hey, he had two fish about the size of sardines. That’s at least what I’ve read in commentaries.
He might have been embarrassed because in his heart, he thought there was no way it would feed even one other person. At the same time, he didn’t want to be the only one with food when everyone else was so hungry.
He might have thought not to respond and let anyone know he had it at first but couldn’t tell a lie.
Whether this little boy shared hesitantly or eagerly, we don’t know. We just know he shared all he had.
He gave it all! That’s impressive regardless.
I don’t think he cried or threw a fit. Curiosity probably had begun building by then. Besides, he had been taught to obey his elders and had heard about the power the disciples possessed.
All Ends Well
This little boy definitely trusted the disciples and Jesus and obeyed. And look what he witnessed!
The closest thing I’ve come to witnessing anything similar, even though on a smaller scale, was one night in our feeding ministry where we had 5 lbs. of hamburger to make spaghetti with. The First Baptist were our volunteers that night and still talk about how they dipped, spooned, and served – without ceasing, eventually feeding almost 500 meals.
“We’d scrape the bottom, yet some would be left for the next person,” they eagerly told us while cleaning up.
Can you imagine what miracle might happen if we trusted the Lord enough to give all we had for Him to multiply? How many people would benefit?
More importantly, how much would God be glorified? Enough to win many, many souls!
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