Matthew 14: 14-21
When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick. As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.” Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”
“We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. “Bring them here to me,” he said. And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.
Jesus saw the crowd and wanted to feed them, but the disciples saw their limited resource and wanted to send them home. Jesus took the five loaves and two fish and thanked the Father. The disciples obeyed Jesus’ instructions and distributed food to the crowd and as they were distributing, multiplication happened. They were all satisfied and twelve basketfuls were left for the disciples to bring home to their families.
We can do things without Jesus.
What could have happened if Jesus was not there? Thousands would have gone home hungry and collapsed on their way home. That is what happens if we do things without the Lord. The resources are not enough even to satisfy our needs.
We can choose not to believe.
The disciples were with Jesus, but they could have chosen not to believe. It is not easy to believe that five loaves of bread and two fish could feed five thousand. If the disciples did not believe, they could have simply refused to distribute the bread and fish, because they were not enough. They could have sent home the crowd and they themselves could have eaten the little that they have, because they were hungry too. There would have been no basketfuls left. They would have missed the abundance they have with Jesus, because they depended on what they have, not what God can supply. Notice that the miracle happened while bread and fish were being distributed. In other words, in the disciples’ hands while they were obeying.
We could depend on our own ability alone.
What if the disciples used their analytical skills instead of depending on God? They could have planned, strategized for hours and tried to raise funds from their rich neighbors for hours and days, while the crowd would have left, hungry and disappointed.
But we can believe and do things with our King.
What happened here? Jesus saw abundance instead of lack because there is no lack in the Kingdom of God. Jesus himself brought this kingdom here on earth for us to live in it. He showed the disciples how to operate in that kingdom where there is no lack. See, from God’s eyes. Believe what he can do and what he can do through you.
When we are in the kingdom of God, we can look at everything we do from God’s eyes and not from man’s.
Do you want to experience a miracle? The bible says,
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.“ Colossians 3:23
Boni de Jesus 