43 “Stop grumbling among yourselves,” Jesus answered. 44 “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day. 45 It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from him comes to me. 46 No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. 47 Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life."

The message of this miracle of the Feeding of the 5000 is that the fish and bread from the small boy is what was offered to Jesus and He makes great use of it for His glory. People focus on the problem and the size of their limitations. Jesus sees that which man does not see. Availability is what is important. Jesus used a lad, a small boy, one who, from societies point of view, is insignificant. Jesus often uses kids to illustrate the power and love of God. He has a heart for children. Young David slew Goliath. Little Samuel heard the voice of God to instruct a priest. Moses’ sister watched in the bulrushes and convinced a princess to have her own mother care for this baby she found. Moses is saved from death. Jesus loves children. All the children of the world. He is the one who holds them, blesses them and prays for them.

God asks for what we have, never for what we do not have. It is not the size of the gift, but the size of God that matters. God can accomplish His will through us if we are willing and obedient. Often people are overwhelmed by the size of the task and think they can do so little, they might as well not even try instead of thinking they can’t do everything, but they can do something. What good are two fish and five barley loaves of bread among so many? It is a start. In Jesus’ hands it is enough.

He picked Moses who couldn’t talk clearly, Gideon who was cowardly, and David who was a lad. He picked fishermen, who were smelly and uneducated and a tax collector who was despised. He took their inabilities and their availabilities and accomplished what He wanted. Sometimes it seems people with one talent feel they better not use it. They think it is so insignificant, it really doesn’t make much difference. The world is won to Christ through undistinguished service of simple folks willing to give their one talent into the hands of God.

The lad, the fish the bread were all Jesus’ needed. He is not asking us to multiply the bread and fish. That is His job. Our job is to put it into the hands of Jesus.

When I hold a basketball in my hands, it’s just a basketball. But when you place that same basketball in the hands of people like Michael Jordan, it turns into professional championships. Put a paintbrush in any of our hands and it’s just a paintbrush. Put a paintbrush in the hands of Picasso, and you get priceless works of art. So why can’t we do that with God? Imagine what could happen if you put your limited resources into HIS hands?

The disciples took the bread and passed it on to others - yet another simple but profound message. We are not the ones who can produce the bread. Jesus is. We have nothing that can meet others needs, but Jesus has it and chooses of all things, humans who are normal, flawed and ordinary to spread it out to hungry and dying people. We are not the source of blessing, but only vehicles God chooses to use. The world does not need our ability, but God uses our availability. He makes what is inadequate adequate. We can’t give until we have received and can only receive from the Lord. Even the good news of Jesus is passed on by others who have received it. 

The apostles collected the leftovers and there was no waste. Notice here both the liberality of Jesus and the frugality of Jesus. When He gave the people bread to eat, He gave them as much He wanted. He was a liberal giver. When they had collected all the leftover food, there was enough to fill up twelve small wicker baskets. You know why they had so many leftovers? Because Jesus wants them to see that God is a generous giver. He doesn’t just give you barely enough to scrape by. He gives you as much as you need and then some.

The people were satisfied. Eat what you will, but don’t throw out the excess. The disciples took it and 12 basketfuls were collected for two reasons: so show that there was an abundantly more than what was needed and so each disciple had a basket for their ongoing provision for the following day.

Give what you have. Let Him multiply it in ways you may never know. 

Dale