What Do You Have?

Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish,

John 6:9a

Yesterday, we continued discussing the fourth miracle of Jesus in the Book of John, focusing on the feeding of the five thousand. We came to understand that Jesus’ way of showing compassion is different from ours, especially when it seems like there is nothing we can do. Jesus helped His disciples see that the solution for these people should come from among them. But while they were calculating and thinking about how to gather the resources to achieve this, Jesus asked a very important question: “How many loaves do you have?” (Mark 6:38a).

Up until this point, the disciples hadn’t thought about checking how many loaves they had. This was because they knew that whatever quantity of loaves was available would never be enough to feed so many people. Like them, we often neglect the resources we have because we assume they cannot meet our needs.

Jesus’ question prompted the disciples to look within, and shortly after they began searching, they found something—five loaves and two fish, found by Andrew. However, Andrew’s response after bringing them to Jesus reveals why we often don’t look within. Like Andrew, we think, “How far will they go among so many?” It wasn’t until they searched that they realized they had five loaves and two fish. Even though this seemed small compared to what the crowd needed, Jesus was teaching them to offer what they had. He is also saying to you today, “Give your five loaves and two fish, and watch God do the rest.” And in giving, give thanks and surrender it to the One who has all power—Jesus.

When I was preparing for my program, you’ll remember I mentioned that about a week before the event, I hadn’t paid for the hall, nor were there funds for feeding. So, during our meeting, after all the back and forth, I decided to deposit the little we had for the hall and asked other members to contribute whatever they could. I had to look within, and that’s when I realized I had more than I thought. I saw people willing to give what they had. Someone designed and printed certificates of participation for all the participants; someone got a water company to supply all the water we needed for the program for free; someone convinced the hall manager to accept the small deposit we had at the time; someone started the refreshments, and so on. All the while, I had been looking outward, trying to solve everything myself, when God wanted me to look within.

In the same way, Jesus is saying to you today, you’ve calculated too much, you’ve stayed too long on this mountain, you’ve magnified this problem too much. Can you look within at what you have and who you have? What God wants to use in your life is not far from you, but your eyes have been distracted by external help when God is already with you.

PRAYER