A Lad and Faith, Feeding the Five Thousand

Feeding the Five Thousand

I want to tell this wonderful story and fill in some details. No, I was not there! And I admit my speculation on the story is no better than all the commentaries that say the “Lad” was a servant or selling food. I do not see that.  So here is the story.

And the people, when they knew it, followed him: and he received them, and spake unto them of the Power of God, and healed them that had need of healing.

And when the day began to wear away, then came the twelve, and said unto him, Send the multitude away, that they may go into the towns and country round about, and lodge, and get victuals: for we are here in a desert place.

But he said unto them, Give ye them to eat.

This is where the story gets good and so many I feel miss it.  Jesus had been teaching the people all day. They knew He was there and were following Him.   Like we do, they started their day getting ready for an exciting day following and hearing the great teacher.  Some where in all those people getting ready there was a mother that packed a lunch for a small lad.  Many  mothers in out day have packed a little lunch snack for a child to  have on a long day of activity. The little ones don’t seem to go as long without eating as adults may.  I know what has been speculated in commentaries for years about this lad and his lunch, but I will maintain that it was a mother in the crowd that followed Jesus caring for her child.  Ok, now we have an idea how the Lad got the loaves and fish, now to the blessed part of the story.    We have a young son that often surprises us at how much he HEARS what is said in Church.  He is playing with a toy car, writing in a tablet, or making paper airplanes yet when asked what was said he knows very clearly both what was said and how to apply it. He taught me this lesson.  The Lad in the story was with his family following the teacher. He was probably playing and he may have eaten part of the lunch his mom had given him, it was a long day.  Like other children he listened to adult conversations he had listened to Jesus all day and wanted to know what was going on.

He heard Jesus say “Give them to Eat”.

He heard the concerned answers of the followers of Jesus.

He had heard Jesus teach of the Power of God all day and he understood!!

The disciples were saying “I can’t get enough to do as you asked”.  I cannot meet the need.

But, this small Lad had HEARD Jesus.  In the power of God Jesus Can do all that is needed.

He came to one of Jesus followers and said “The Master can have my Lunch.”

“I will give Him All I have” and Jesus can feed the people!! 

It was not Five loaves and Two fish that Jesus heard, 

It was a child’s faith “I will give Jesus all I have”.

That was enough!!   

Jesus said, have the people sit down WE ARE Going To Eat”

Through time people have dismissed the statements and ideas of children, Jesus did not.

Jesus several times uses the faith of a child to teach great truths.  Social order of the day did not count children or women; we are told there were five thousand Men. Still here Jesus heard a lad, He saw the greatest kind of faith, “I give Jesus all I have and trust Jesus to do the rest, HE Will. This lad applied the Power of God that Jesus was teaching to the problem of feeding all the people. All I have Plus Jesus is all that is needed.