Bring What You Have

The need to provide for people’s basic needs can be overwhelming , even more so in this pandemic crisis.  Nothing is easy.  And while I am loving having all my kids and husband in close quarters (most of the time 🙂 ), their needs, the needs of those I love and the needs of the community around me, can quickly feel insurmountable.

I can feel defeated before I even start and that insufficiency can be enough to send me hiding under a quilt with my dogs!

Jesus and his disciples faced the same dilemma.  They had 5,000 hungry people facing them with no provisions.  They were already exhausted before this crowd even gathered.  The disciples, understandably, came to Jesus and told him to send the people away to find food.  What option did they have?

The disciples had 5 loaves of bread and two fish – an insignificant amount of provisions for the crowd.  So small they didn’t even count it as useful. 

Jesus had another plan, when he saw the needs, he was moved by compassion. Instead of giving up, Jesus told them to take what they had and “bring them here to me”.  After giving thanks to God for the food, he gives it back to the disciples and tells them to feed the crowd.  Matt. 14:20 says,  “They all ate and were satisfied and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.”  Wow!  Their resources were not insignificant, not in the hands of Jesus! 

What a great lesson for this time.  Bring what you have.  Let’s not focus on what we can’t do, and just be thankful we have something to share and then share it. 

No need to panic over alarms or surprises,

    or predictions that doomsday’s just around the corner,

Because God will be right there with you;

    he’ll keep you safe and sound.

 Never walk away from someone who deserves help;

    your hand is God’s hand for that person.

Don’t tell your neighbor “Maybe some other time”

    or “Try me tomorrow”

    when the money’s right there in your pocket.

Proverbs 3:25-28, The Message

We all have different resources in our “pockets”.   It might be a phone call, it might be sharing your money or your milk, maybe you can help someone know the hope you have. Reach in pocket and see what God has provided, be thankful and then help. God will be right there with you!