The Seven Responses to Jesus:
The Miracle of the Loaves & Fishes

A little boy had five loaves of bread and two small fish. Not a lot of food if you want to feed 5,000 people. It doesn't even seem like a lot of food for the little boy, if he was going to be there all day, or if he had traveled a long way to be there. But this little boy was willing to give it all to Jesus.

But there are seven responses that this child could have given when the Lord asked for his food. Let's take a look at each of them.

1) He could have said, "It's my lunch -- those people should have thought to bring their own lunch". A selfish spirit of the heart and mind. Looking out for "self". An attitude that says, "I don't care if the rest of the world perishes, as long as I'm taken care of".

2) He could have said, "I would like to give it to you, but I may need it later". The heart is willing to do what he knew was right, but his sense of doing what is practical and realistic takes over, and he becomes afraid of running the risk of totally trusting Jesus to take care of his future.

3) He could have said, "I'll share it with those are are sitting with me". A sensitive heart, but a concern only for those few within his own circle. Five thousand people are hungry on the hillside, but he's only concerned about his few chosen friends.

4) He could have said, "I brought it, I'll break the bread and pass it around". A willingness to do, but for a selfish motive. He brought the food, so he should get the credit for it. But 2,000 years later, no one knows who this child is -- he is nameless to us. All we know is that his generosity enabled Jesus to perform one of the most well-known miracles of the entire BIble ... one which has bless people throughout the ages.

5) He could have said, "Let me cook it first, let me prepare it before you take it". This is saying, "Jesus might be able to peform the miracle, but He can't do it until I set it up for Him -- He can't do it without my help".

6) He could have said, "I'm pretty hungry, but I'll share my lunch with you". Giving himself peace of mind by giving the Lord a little, but not giving Him enough so that He's able to do much with it.

7) He could have said, "I want to give my food to Jesus for HIS lunch. Willing to serve the Lord, but doesn't possess a concern for anyone else. Going to church, never missing a service, but never getting involved in doing anything for others.

But instead of all of these responses, when Jesus asked the little boy for his food, he answered, "Here it is, take all of it".

He trusted the Lord to take the bread and the fish and to be able to do a great miracle with it. To feed those people there that day, and for all people of all times to read about it and to learn the power of God from it.

That child gave his humble meal that day, and he got back more than he could eat in a lifetime. The same is true for us. If we give a little, whether it it time, money, talent, or any gift we might have, Jesus will multiply it. We can not outgive the Lord.

But the Lord is unable to give us the help we are seekking until we turn all of it over to Him. If we hold on to even one small part of the problem, He can't deal with that small part -- and that may be the very area where the miracle lies.

We are a small group of people -- just as this was one small boy. But if we give our ALL to Jesus -- unselfishly, wholely, with trust and believin, and for the motive of building the Kingdom of God -- Jesus can not only work a miracle, I believe we could change our churches, our community, and someday our world.