“‘There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?’ Jesus said, ‘Have the people sit down…Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, He distributed them.” – John 6:9-14

A large crowd had been following Jesus and were hungry. It wasn’t comparable to the largest crowd that I have had to feed for sure – this was 5,000 men (which didn’t even include the women and children present).

Scripture says that even though Jesus already knew what He would do to feed the crowd, He asked Philip in order to test him, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” Phillip must have been good at math, because he quickly determined that even “two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.”

Most of us would have likely acted similarly. Add up the people. Crunch the numbers. Determine that based on facts, we can’t feed all these people.

But there was a little boy there who wasn’t thinking of what he didn’t have but what he did have. This fact alone makes me want to cry. Because children never cease to amaze me and challenge me with their simple yet profound acts of mercy, faith, and generosity.

This boy didn’t have an expensive or impressive lunch. One commentator of this passage observed that “barley was regarded as simple fare, more often fit for animals than for men.”

He was a poor boy, but he was rich with generosity. He was unashamed of his barley loaves and gave them to Andrew to contribute to the needs of the people.

I wish that it was clear from reading the passage that Andrew at least praised the boy for his contribution, but all that is clear is that Andrew received it saying to Jesus, “what are they for so many?” He was skeptical of what good this small offering would accomplish in such a large crowd.

But when he passed this simple meal into the hands of Jesus a miracle happened.

Jesus took the loaves, thanked God for them, and began to distribute them.

And they multiplied.

Not just enough food to feed the crowd, but twelve baskets of fragments of bread were left over when all the people had eaten and were full.

Jesus used this poor boy’s offering to feed thousands that day. I can only imagine the story he told his mother later. Or maybe she was there, watching with tears in her eyes.

We watch the news – hearing of wars and rumors of wars and poverty and suffering and pain and we wonder what we can possibly do. What could we contribute that would make a real difference?

But Jesus knows we can’t solve all the world’s problems. He’s God – not us. But He does ask us “What is in your hand?” Not what you can’t do, but what can you do?

Perhaps it is word of encouragement to someone weary under life’s burdens. Filling them with the strength they need to stand and continue strong on their journey.

Perhaps it is supporting a child who, at only the cost of a dinner out, you could provide food for a whole month.

Perhaps it is shoveling an elderly neighbor’s walkway during a snowstorm.

Perhaps, and sometimes most powerful, it is praying for those in need, those suffering, those you can’t reach with your physical hands – but God can.

What you hold in your hand may be a humble and simple offering. You may be tempted to think, ” What does one small act really accomplish?”

But the God who formed the universe and breathed breath into the lungs of mankind, the God who multiplied the loaves and fishes, can multiply your offering to feed many.

Our reward will often be intangible on this side of Heaven – a joy that wells up in our heart, filling our souls in a way that the riches of this world never could.

But I think its pretty awesome that when this poor boy gave up his meal the Lord saw to it that he didn’t go hungry.

He got to eat his lunch while watching thousands eat it as well. You just can’t out-give God. When we taste His goodness, we shall not want.

So – what’s in your hand?

image credit: www.skywriting.net