A little can be a lot

By Tim Pippus of the Estevan Church of Christ

As the boy packed his lunch that day, I am sure that he had no idea how significant that action would become.

Jesus was nearby, teaching and healing a huge crowd of people. As evening came, Jesus’ friends became concerned about the fact that the crowd had not eaten anything all day.

Approaching him they said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food” (Matthew 14:15). Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat” (verse 16). Philip, looking around and seeing more than five thousand people said, “Eight months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!” (John 6:7).

Enter, again, the little boy. I am not sure how they found him. I am fairly certain the only reason they mentioned him to Jesus was to underline the severity of the situation. 

However, as he stood there he heard Andrew say, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” (John 6:9) 

“How far will they go among so many?”  Have you heard people ask that question recently?

People say, “Well, I would help, but I am really not that good at teaching (or “singing” or “encouraging” or… you fill in the blank), so what good could I do?”

We think, “If I won the lottery, I would be generous. But the $20 in my wallet, how far would that go?”

“When I get more time I will go and visit people and do things for others.” Unfortunately, we never seem to find more time.

Thankfully, the “Feeding of the 5,000” is not just a past event. Rather, it teaches a spiritual principle that is at work even today: “No matter what we have to offer, large or small, if we give it to God, he will use it and can multiply its effectiveness far beyond what we could have imagined.”

Our job, then, is to simply offer whatever we have, wherever we are, whenever we can.  Stated another way, Tom Wood said, “Where you are is where you are. Trust God and let that be enough. Pour into what God has given you now”. 

Give what you can give. Do the things you can do. You may be shocked by what happens.

As one little boy found out, when it is given to God, a little can be a lot.