Some Fishy Multiplication
This week I was reading a book that I got at the Shine Women’s conference in Tyler, TX this past September. It is the story of the woman who started Shine, Suzy Shepherd, titled “You are a Warrior – How to Live a Life Worth Dying For”.
In it, Shepherd mentions the story of Jesus turning the 5 loaves and 2 fishes into a meal for thousands with 12 baskets of food left over. Interestingly, this is the story I’ll be teaching my 3–6-year-olds in Sabbath school today. (John 6: 1-14)
What Shepherd points out that I want to focus on today is that a “lad”, which means “little boy”, seems to have willingly given up his small lunch. What faith! What trust is Jesus! This little boy gave up what he had, gambling that he could go hungry or at least that it still might not be enough for everyone. Maybe this was his family’s lunch. Or maybe the loaves and fish were small enough that they were meant on to feed him. Perhaps he’d brought them along to sell to others.
No matter why he, after all this time, still have food when no one else seemed to have the assurance of making it home without fainting, we don’t know. What we do know is that he risked all he had for the sake of the greater good. He put his faith in Jesus.
I cannot help but connect this story to Luke 18:15-17 [NKJV], where it days, “15 Then they also brought infants to Him that He might touch them; but when the disciples saw [it], they rebuked them. 16 But Jesus called them to [Him] and said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. 17 "Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it."
There is nothing at all fishy about the trust of a little child. This is how they operate, at least until the world starts teaching them differently. What is a bit “fishy”, is that (1) It was only after the crowd was fed that the declared, “This is truly to Prophet who is to come into the world.” And (2) That the adults either lost or never actually understood the spiritual implications of Jesus’ act of feeding them, as we see in John 6:26-27 - 26 “Jesus answered them and said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. 27 "Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him."
Sweet sisters, we can not afford to be fickle in putting our faith and trust in Jesus – one day praising His miracles, the next day forgetting the spiritual in our rush to see some physical blessing come our way.
How often do we forget that He is able to multiply our offerings – whether money or goods or talents – into something that honors the Father and nourishes the spiritually hungry, lost and weary? How often do we just hope to hear or read about big numbers being donated, instead of focusing on big changes in our lives, the members of our churches and our communities that come from our willingness to give what paltry thing we have over to our Savior?
How often do we disparage our small gifts, means or abilities instead of trusting in Jesus’ ability to multiply? You see, when we give a little, He is the one who blesses and grows it to His use.
Do any of us sometimes have the opposite issue – thinking what we give is something big because there are so many zeros behind the dollar amount or because we receive praise and thanks from others? Even if there are 6 digits behind the dollar sign, it is a paltry thing because it is only a fraction of the power, majesty, wealth and abundance of God. Only He can put our gifts to good use. Only He can multiply the productivity of our offerings.
John 6:27 "Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him."
We are required to do our part with the talents we are given. (Sett Matthew 25:14-30) We cannot elect to just sit on them. BUT we should understand that the multiplication – the effectiveness and growth --actually is the work of God. I could preach all day. I could give all my money to the poor. It might come to nothing without the blessing of God that multiplies the effectiveness of those gifts.
1 Corinthians 3:7 [NKJV] So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.
The lesson – at least one of the lessons – of John 6 is that, while we must give what we have, the more important thing to focus on is the work that God then does with what we give.
There is no way for me to multiply 2 fish and 5 loaves to feed 5,000. But if I am willing to give up my lunch to His service, Jesus’ math can handle it, with basketfuls to spare.
I welcome your comments and questions. You can write to me in the comments section or any time at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org.