Learning to serve

Some of the best lessons in scripture are the subtle ones that are easily missed. There is one story I have been thinking about because of the lessons it teaches me. I find that I learn the most from a narrative like this when I "get into the story" myself. It helps to imagine the setting and think about how I would respond if I were there.
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This story describes one of the great miracles of Jesus, but he was doing more than just feeding the thousands...he was teaching his disciples. Below is the story with my own thoughts in blue. I hope the things that helped me will help you as well.

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Luke 9:10 When the apostles returned, they gave an account to Him of all that they had done. Taking them with Him, He withdrew by Himself to a city called Bethsaida.
Luke 9:11 But the crowds were aware of this and followed Him; and welcoming them, He began speaking to them about the kingdom of God and curing those who had need of healing.
Luke 9:12 Now the day was ending, and the twelve came and said to Him, "Send the crowd away, that they may go into the surrounding villages and countryside and find lodging and get something to eat; for here we are in a desolate place."

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I don't think they were as concerned about the crowds as they seem to indicate. The truth is that it's time for dinner, and the disciples know they only have enough food for themselves. I'm sure they thought, "it would be really be hard to eat in front of these people, so let's send them off so we can eat dinner."

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Luke 9:13 But He said to them, "You give them something to eat!" And they said, "We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless perhaps we go and buy food for all these people."

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I imagine that Jesus makes his statement with a smile, "you feed them!" He knew what he intended to do. I would love to see the disciples faces when he made this statement. And here is where we know they had enough for themselves, but not enough for this vast crowd. "Send them off so we can eat," but instead Jesus says, "you feed them!"

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Luke 9:14 (For there were about five thousand men.) And He said to His disciples, "Have them sit down to eat in groups of about fifty each."
Luke 9:15 They did so, and had them all sit down.

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Wouldn't you love the hear them talk to each other as they follow this command? "What is he doing?" "What good will this do?"

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Luke 9:16 Then He took the five loaves and the two fish,

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He took their dinner! Now the plan begins to unfold. Now they see what's next. He's going to give THEIR dinner to the crowd. How far would these few loaves and fish go to feed this crowd?

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and looking up to heaven, He blessed them, and broke them, and kept giving them to the disciples to set before the people.

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This is the part of the story that makes me smile. Jesus took THEIR dinner, prayed over it, then gave it to the disciples to give to the crowd. What a funny picture this must have been as they give THEIR dinner to the crowd. At first I think it was difficult as they watched their dinner gradually handed to the hungry crowds, but then something strange happened...the bread and fish kept coming! It didn't run out. Quickly they moved from grudgingly giving their dinner away to happily watching a miracle happen. How often do the gospels tell stories of those who give what they have only to see God provide more than they knew they had? It's a repeated theme- God is able to do more than you can even imagine. (Eph. 3:20)

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Luke 9:17 And they all ate and were satisfied; and the broken pieces which they had left over were picked up, twelve baskets full.

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As the story closes we are reassured that the hungry disciples were fed as well..."And they ALL ate and were satisfied." What a great lesson for them. In obedience they gave away their dinner to the crowd and by their willingness to obey they saw Jesus perform an amazing miracle and they got to eat as well. But that's not the end yet. The rest of the story tells us that they finish the day with dinner for tomorrow as well!

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What did I learn? I realized that I often miss the opportunity to see what God could do with what little I have because I don't think it's enough for him to work with. I often miss the opportunity to trust God and live with an open hand. I come back to this story to remind me that even a few loaves and fish are more than I think they are when God is involved.

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When you read the stories of the bible don't rush through them too quickly. Take your time, and you will be surprised at what you will see!