My Bread and Fish

“Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” Mark 10:15

“Here is a boy with with five small barley loaves and two small fish…” John 6:9

I can imagine the boy looking into his ragged, dirty bag and eyeballing the fish and bread, and then looking around at the 5,000 people plus that were all around him. That were all getting hungry. He was too. It seemed that in their rush to follow Jesus out of town and halfway up a mountain, they had forgotten to pack a lunch. The boy would have been in the same boat if his mom hadn’t insisted that he take a few small loaves of barley bread and a couple of dinky fish that were in a bag that she thrust at him. He grabbed it and headed off with the crowd who were going after the incredible, wonder working teacher.

I can imagine the boy standing close to Andrew, one of the disciples of Jesus, while the other disciples were discussing with the Rabbi, how to feed everyone. The consensus seemed to be to send them back into town, which was miles away, to get some grub. Jesus told Philip to feed the crowd. Philip must have laughed, showed his empty pockets and exclaim that he was out of cash, and that even if he had half a years wages, it would barely give each person a bite to eat.

I can imagine the boy thinking about the bread and fish. His bread and fish. What should I do? Should I sneak off toward the edge of the crown and wolf it down, hoping no one would notice? Or maybe I can sell them. Times have been awful hard lately. Mom could really use the money. I could give them to Jesus. That might help a little bit. He was almost embarrassed at the thought. He peeked back into his bag and shook his head at his five small loaves, and two small fish. Then he looked at the huge crowd and laughed. Then he looked at Jesus and grinned. He remembered one time that that he had seen a man healed by this Jesus guy. Once he spit, made some mud, and put it on a blind man’s eyes. And, believe it or not, after that, the blind man could see. If he could do that with a little spit and dirt, then who knows what he could do with my bread and fish.

I can imagine the boy tugging on Andrew’s sleeve. Andrew tries to shoo the boy away because he is busy trying to figure out, with the rest of the guys, how to feed everyone. The boy tugs on Andrew’s sleeve again, this time a bit firmer. Andrew wants the boy to go away, but he looks into his eyes, and then into his bag, and notices what appears to be some bread and fish. Andrew smiles and gestures to Jesus. “Hey Jesus, take a look at this. Five loaves of bread and two fish.”

Jesus not only takes a look, but he takes the food and the next thing you know, the mass of people are feasting on fish and bread. Everyone gets full.

I imagine the boy eating eight loaves and six fish. With a big smile on his face!

We all have some loaves and fishes. We have gifts and abilities. We have time, talents and treasure. That is our loaves and fishes. My loaves and fishes. We live in a world that is starving. Starving for truth, love, righteousness and wholeness. We are standing next to Jesus with our bag of small loaves and small fish. What will we do? What will I do? Keep it for myself? Sell it? Hide it because I’m ashamed of how little and insignificant it is? Or give it to Jesus and let him use it for purposes beyond my wildest imagination.

Jesus loves me and wants me to be happy. I want enter the kingdom of God. I want to be like the boy. It’s a no-brainer. I’ll give Jesus my bread and fish!

Please disregard any advertisement below.