God's Plan for Poverty
In the feeding of the 5000, we see Jesus intentionally reveal an aspect of His character and insight into His priorities as He purposefully places His disciples in an uncomfortable situation that apparently seems contrary to their portion. As the hungry crowd amasses, I can only imagine that the attendee's spirits are satiated by the rich teaching of Jesus as He clearly laid out mysteries that had been unknowable for millennia. But the disciples had become good managers of the Messiah and in efforts to tend to the needs of the people at hand, they suggest that Jesus send them to look for something to eat. This was a perfectly sinless option, yet Jesus always had eternity in mind. His heart was to reveal a transcending theme that was to mould their culture and He cornered them into impossible to prove just that. His words still ring through my mind as I empathize with what the disciples were feeling and thinking in that moment of wanting to meet needs but obviously not having the means to do so. Jesus plainly says to them: "You feed them." It was apparently less about the calories that were to be consumed and more about the faith that was to be fostered. 
As Peter stands face to face with Jesus some time later, I can imagine this story flashes through his mind when Jesus questions his love for Him. Jesus goes on repeat and tells Peter that loving Him looks like feeding His sheep and I believe that by the third time posing the question, Peter understood. Jesus had clearly paved the way that feeding His sheep was not about mustering up might and concocting savvy plans, but about finding the resources at hand and believing in the one who gave the order. Jesus' heart was entirely for feeding those men, women and children in attendance that day and we can only trust that His heart has not changed today. He longs to provide for the ones who would draw near to Him and for the ones who still aren't close enough to catch a glimpse. Loving Jesus looks like standing in the gap between He who has the capacity ande desire to feed and those impoverished. Loving Jesus looks like trusting Him that the resources He has put within our reach will be made enough not by the complexity of our strategies but by the simplicity of our trust in who He is. Jesus' love language has not changed and we can be certain that if we say we follow Him, He is looking to us to administer the incredible miracles He once lived out in flesh and blood. God is not asking us to accumulate enough and then go out and meet the incredible and vast need we see in the world today, but simply to take what He has already given us and place it back in His miracle-working hands.
Two things stand out in this parable of loving Jesus. One is that it was necessary for the disciples to be the ones to take the steps. It would have been powerful if Jesus would have approached the young boy with the loaves and fish and miraculously transform it into a feast, but He chose something quite different. He intentionally left his disciples staring blankly, sending them to bring the insufficient funds to His feet. The other part that offers a glimpse of Jesus' heart is that He later equates feeding His sheep to the way we are to carry on His legacy in an existence rooted in love. Being close to the problem and having a sensitive heart to the needs of others is not enough. Compassion without action is just an empty feeling. Jesus requires us to love in a sacrificial way which will inherently lead us to first lay down our pride, plans and knowledge at His humble yet capable feet. As we draw close to the feet of Jesus, we are not distancing ourselves from the needs of this world, but pivoting to be the bridge between the rich and bountiful provision of God and the most poor people and despair situations. God has chosen and commissioned us to feed His sheep. My logical way of thinking is to carefully fill the store house until there is enough to go around and make a genuine impact, but Jesus Himself did not take that approach. I cannot wait to give until I gauge that I have enough because knowing my deceiving heart, it will never be enough. How many Christians are faithfully filling their storehouses with the intention of giving in a meaningful way, but end up giving Jesus nothing of what is in their reach. Let us draw close to those who are hungry while staying planted at Jesus' feet knowing that He has chosen you and me to bridge the gap. Let's bring Him the bread at hand so we can give Him all the glory.
As Peter stands face to face with Jesus some time later, I can imagine this story flashes through his mind when Jesus questions his love for Him. Jesus goes on repeat and tells Peter that loving Him looks like feeding His sheep and I believe that by the third time posing the question, Peter understood. Jesus had clearly paved the way that feeding His sheep was not about mustering up might and concocting savvy plans, but about finding the resources at hand and believing in the one who gave the order. Jesus' heart was entirely for feeding those men, women and children in attendance that day and we can only trust that His heart has not changed today. He longs to provide for the ones who would draw near to Him and for the ones who still aren't close enough to catch a glimpse. Loving Jesus looks like standing in the gap between He who has the capacity ande desire to feed and those impoverished. Loving Jesus looks like trusting Him that the resources He has put within our reach will be made enough not by the complexity of our strategies but by the simplicity of our trust in who He is. Jesus' love language has not changed and we can be certain that if we say we follow Him, He is looking to us to administer the incredible miracles He once lived out in flesh and blood. God is not asking us to accumulate enough and then go out and meet the incredible and vast need we see in the world today, but simply to take what He has already given us and place it back in His miracle-working hands.
Two things stand out in this parable of loving Jesus. One is that it was necessary for the disciples to be the ones to take the steps. It would have been powerful if Jesus would have approached the young boy with the loaves and fish and miraculously transform it into a feast, but He chose something quite different. He intentionally left his disciples staring blankly, sending them to bring the insufficient funds to His feet. The other part that offers a glimpse of Jesus' heart is that He later equates feeding His sheep to the way we are to carry on His legacy in an existence rooted in love. Being close to the problem and having a sensitive heart to the needs of others is not enough. Compassion without action is just an empty feeling. Jesus requires us to love in a sacrificial way which will inherently lead us to first lay down our pride, plans and knowledge at His humble yet capable feet. As we draw close to the feet of Jesus, we are not distancing ourselves from the needs of this world, but pivoting to be the bridge between the rich and bountiful provision of God and the most poor people and despair situations. God has chosen and commissioned us to feed His sheep. My logical way of thinking is to carefully fill the store house until there is enough to go around and make a genuine impact, but Jesus Himself did not take that approach. I cannot wait to give until I gauge that I have enough because knowing my deceiving heart, it will never be enough. How many Christians are faithfully filling their storehouses with the intention of giving in a meaningful way, but end up giving Jesus nothing of what is in their reach. Let us draw close to those who are hungry while staying planted at Jesus' feet knowing that He has chosen you and me to bridge the gap. Let's bring Him the bread at hand so we can give Him all the glory.
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