Feeding the crowd

This week's verses are on John 6:5-14:

Then Jesus, when he looked up and saw that a large crowd was coming to him, said to Philip, “Where can we buy bread so that these people may eat?” (Now Jesus said this to test him, for he knew what he was going to do.) Philip replied, “Two hundred silver coins worth of bread would not be enough for them, for each one to get a little.” One of Jesus’ disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, “Here is a boy who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what good are these for so many people?”

Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” (Now there was a lot of grass in that place.) So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed the bread to those who were seated. He then did the same with the fish, as much as they wanted. When they were all satisfied, Jesus said to his disciples, “Gather up the broken pieces that are left over, so that nothing is wasted.” So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with broken pieces from the five barley loaves left over by the people who had eaten.

Now when the people saw the miraculous sign that Jesus performed, they began to say to one another, “This is certainly the Prophet who is to come into the world.”

I was talking to a guy I know the other day who has started a new Bible study in a friend's apartment. We were discussing the various struggles of sublet pastorhood, how difficult people are to manage, etc. I mentioned it's a bit like you're trying to become a farmer by watching nature. Trial and error guided by mimicry and observation. So he was like "Man I think I am the worst farmer in the world!" But later it occurred to me that Jesus gave us some ideas on how to go about it.

In these verses, Jesus sees a bunch of hungry people. He mentions it to Philip, who if he was like us, probably wasn't paying attention at all until he was asked the question. (That's probably why Jesus called on him.) Philip recognizes their need, but realizes he's totally outmatched by the challenge. Then Andrew chimes in with a completely unhelpful suggestion, like one of those guys in meetings that always has to talk even if he has nothing to say. And yet this is how Jesus started his church and trained his disciples in ministry.

Up until the point where Jesus says to have the people sit down, this could be any of our ministry discussions, or talks about any problem that seems insurmountable, where we want to help out but we just don't know how. "Yes obviously those people need help, but what am I supposed to do about it? I've got ten bucks and I need three of those to get home."

Once the problem had been discussed to death, Jesus stepped in and provided the solution. The people's need was met, and they got to know about Jesus in the process. And so did the disciples.

At the start of the parable, they're all like "Man I think I am the worst farmer in the world!" They have just become aware of the problem (people need to be fed) but have no idea how to reach the solution (no money, no resources, no clever plans. nothing.) But Jesus knew all of that when he brought it up. The church is a place for both God and man, and it's useful to know up front which one you are.

So Jesus noticed the need, and together they provided for it, supplied by his miraculous power. And in seeing that, we can see that Jesus knows what we need and what the crowd needs, and that if we are willing, he will use us as part of his plan to feed them.

Do you think this would have unfolded if Jesus wasn't there? Would it have occurred to the disciples that the people were hungry and would want to eat? Would they have begun the discussion of how to realistically tackle the problem if Jesus wasn't there? It was only when God made them aware of the issue that they began to try to figure out how to provide. And it was only when Jesus told them what to do and provided his divine touch that they were able to be useful at all.

So for us, like the disciples, it boils down to us being ready to be made aware of a need in someone's life and then working to meet that need. Feeding the hungry. Living the miracle. Acknowledging the miracle. Even if we're the worst of farmers, or lack meaningful shepherding experience, God is willing to train all kinds, and will love through us to reach the hungry.