David Bahn – Reflections

Mark 6:38

 And [Jesus] said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” And when they had found out, they said, “Five, and two fish.”

We recently visited a neighbor whose house was messy. No other way to put it: messy. There were papers and items of all kinds strewn here and there. The kitchen counters were piled with things. The living area was in need of a general pick-up. But we had the nicest conversation. Our neighbor never apologized; the neatness of the house wasn’t why we were there. We were there to talk about a ministry opportunity and to solidify some plans to build relationships with other neighbors. It was a great visit.

Sometimes we think we have to provide more than whatever we have in order to give anything at all. When the disciples took inventory of their resources their assessment proved they didn’t have enough to feed the multitude. Not so! Jesus takes what is available – two fish and five loaves of bread – and feeds a multitude.

On the one hand this is a miracle; Jesus provides food in a miraculously multiplied manner! But on the other hand he uses what is at hand to do this. Fact is he could simply have turned the stones in that place into bread and commanded a flock of doves to settle in that place to provide them food. But he didn’t. He used what was at hand. Sometimes we dismiss opportunities to do good because we diminish what we have.

We simply need to learn to give what we’ve got. Rather than saying we can’t get the whole neighborhood to come to our next neighborhood event, we’ll offer the opportunity and rejoice in who joins us. Rather than thinking we have to feed the world, or fund the whole mission, we simply need to give what we have.

We could have been put off by the appearance of the house, but we simply received what was given. The result is a plan for our next neighborhood get-together: we’re making progress with that, one step at a time. When it comes time for our neighborhood gathering we’ll set out what we have and see how God uses it. We may not feed a multitude, but who knows what kinds of plans God has for that occasion. Surely the people didn’t expect to be part of a miracle that day. But with Jesus all things are possible.

Mark 6:30-44

The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. ³¹ And he said to them,“Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. ³² And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves. ³³ Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. ³⁴ When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things. ³⁵ And when it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the hour is now late. ³⁶ Send them away to go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” ³⁷ But he answered them,“You give them something to eat.” And they said to him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give it to them to eat?” ³⁸ And he said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” And when they had found out, they said, “Five, and two fish.” ³⁹ Then he commanded them all to sit down in groups on the green grass. ⁴⁰ So they sat down in groups, by hundreds and by fifties. ⁴¹ And taking the five loaves and the two fish he looked up to heaven and said a blessing and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people. And he divided the two fish among them all. ⁴² And they all ate and were satisfied. ⁴³ And they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. ⁴⁴ And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men.