MATTHEW 14:15-17

Now when it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” But Jesus said, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” They said to him, “We have only five loaves here and two fish.”

TO PONDER:

"We have only five loaves here and two fish.' Have you had a "five loaves and two fish" kind of day? When the problems of life, the struggles in your family, the circumstances before you, or the needs confronting you have caused you to say, "I have only five loaves and two fish".

'A five loaves and two fish' day is a day that is overwhelming, a day where things feel desolate and hopeless. A day where you feel powerless and helpless. A day when you think you cannot either make a difference or deal with what is in front of you. What is your five loaves and two fish day at the present time?

The problem with a five loaves and two fish day, Jesus says, is not a lack of resources, but a lack of imagination and vision for our lives. "...you give them something to eat" Jesus is inviting us to see the circumstances, situations and problems of life in a new way. Where the disciples see limitations, Jesus sees opportunity. Where the disciples focus on the impossible, Jesus imagines the possible. Where the disciples see the problem and look to move it on, Jesus sees the need and moves toward it with compassion.

Jesus is asking us today to reimagine the five loaves and two fish moments of our lives and move with compassion for the crowd (the world) before us. When we wonder if we can make a difference, Jesus says, 'you can" Look around with compassion. Look up in prayer and move with the grace of Jesus to bless those in your midst today. You just don't know what Jesus will do, until you start to feed the crowd!

PRAYER

Lord Jesus, in every moment today when I don't feel I can make a difference, help me to reimagine with your eyes and move with compassion toward the problem with trust in your unfailing grace. Amen.

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