Can you imagine the scene?
You are out in the wilderness, miles from any real town or village. The heat of the day has taken its toll as you try to orchestrate the movements of the entire crowd.
The crowd just won’t stop coming. They are pressing in to hear and possibly even touch Jesus in hopes of some miraculous power, that he is known for, passing on to them. Maybe these aren’t the well-to-do lot either. No….no, they are diseased, broken, disfigured, impoverished, dying masses living without hope.
They have followed Jesus relentlessly seeking some kind of relief…although their faith is more in the temporal blessings of his miracles than in the true power he holds.
It’s been a loooooonnnnnngggg day!
Jesus has been teaching them in the midst of the dust and heat and stench, and you are tired. Not just the normal kind of tired, but the kind that sits like a weight on your shoulders and threatens to make you sleep right where you stand.
So you go to Jesus in hopes of getting him to send the crowd away. You try to play it off as if your real concern is for the people. After all, they haven’t eaten all day. But the reality is that you just feel an overwhelming need for a break. Plus, your own food ran out hours ago so there is nothing left for you.
You haven’t quite caught the burden for people yet. You still think it is nice what Jesus is doing but you really don’t quite understand why each day has to be so busy with all these people.
I mean it’s cool that he is helping them, and it’s cool to be part of the popular group, especially when every once in a while you may get to do some awesome miracle. But, really, it’s hard to see past the current situation to understand how desperately they need what Jesus offers.
Jesus knows. He cares about you. He also cares about these masses of people. They are like sheep without a shepherd, and he is the Great Shepherd.
“You give them something to eat,” he says.
Wait! What???? Jesus, you can’t be serious. There’s no way.
You scan the crowd again quickly calculating how many there might be out there. It’s got to be at least five THOUSAND people!!!
Jesus, there’s too many. There’s no possible way we can help them. We probably can’t even help a couple of them. We have searched the whole crowd and all we have is this small boy’s lunch. A couple fish and some bread. That might just be enough to start a fight!
“You give them something to eat,” he says calmly….expectantly.
Well, he’s done some pretty crazy things in the past, so you decide to follow his direction. In faith to your master’s word, you help get the people seated in groups. All is ready….except the food of course.
So, Jesus takes the little that you brought to him. He thanks God for it and breaks it. As he passes it to you, you notice that something has happened. Breaking the bread and fish hasn’t caused it to decrease. It is multiplying, and the same thing is happening all around you.
More and more people are getting the same amount of food. Some even more! The crowd is voracious! They aren’t just tasting the food; they are devouring it. Each one eats until they cannot eat any more.
They are satisfied!
In fact, you are satisfied!
Afterwards, you help collect 12 baskets of leftovers. So, not only had each of these starving people eaten as much as they possibly could, but Jesus had made it so there was enough extra for each of your companions to collect a full basket.
This is a story about Ukraine. When we start to look at what God has called us to, we so quickly begin to scan the enormous crowd. Many of the most recent estimates show that despite recent efforts to move away from institutional orphanages, there are over 106 million orphans in the country.
That number unfortunately continues to rise as the conflict in the east continues. Government resources which had been increasing for orphan care are now diverted to help meet the pressure created by the conflict.
Beyond the number of true orphans is a whole countless host of social orphans and at-risk youth who have one or both parents, but they are still not cared for as they ought to be. Many of the parents simply are not equipped to provide for the children, so the kids suffer. Poverty, illness, alcoholism, disability, and a host of other factors generate a dangerous cycle forcing these children out of the protection of a loving family.
Many live on the streets. They gather in gangs for company and for some form of protection. They turn to crime….usually for food but sometimes for entertainment. They are open to all forms of social ills associated with the poverty cycle such as drugs, prostitution, crime, and rampant disease.
The ones who live in the orphanages don’t have it much better. In fact, many run back to the streets as soon as they can.
Due to the sheer number of children, the orphanage system can only sustain them until the age of 16. At this point, before they are even out of high school, they “graduate” from the system.
For years, they have barely been fed well enough. Let alone taught important life skills necessary to survive on one’s own. They are not provided with a place to stay or a way to support themselves. They simply “graduate” out of the building and find themselves forced to survive in some way.
The statistics of those who fall into crime or prostitution at that point are staggering.
Lord, there are so many. How can we possibly feed all of them? These numbers don’t even include a fragment of the rest of the men, women, and children who need you in Ukraine.
“You give them something to eat,” Jesus gently urges us.
He doesn’t tell us we have to feed all of them. He says to give them something to eat. He says, “Take what you have and give it to them.”
Our obedience in faith with giving the little that we have opens the doors of his miraculous abundance. He fed 5,000 (plus women and children) with a little boy’s snack. Imagine what he wants to do with your talents and gifts.
The youth in Ukraine need Jesus. Sure, it might be easier to send them away to fend for themselves. It may let us get some rest and just relax. We could easily just pretend they aren’t there. It’s not our problem, right?
“You give them something to eat.” That whisper won’t go away…
“You give them something to eat.” You said you believe in me…..
“You give them something to eat.”
Ok, Jesus. I trust you. I see your heart for these dear children. I will follow you.
Friend, will you help us carry these small broken pieces that Jesus handed us? He has broken them after his blessing. Will you join us in giving them something to eat.
See how it’s multiplying already???
Jesus is here! We will see his abundance today.
Come and see! There will be basketfuls beyond what is needed to satisfy!