“There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what are these for so many people? Jesus said, “Have the people recline to eat.” Now there was plenty of grass in the place. So the men reclined, about five thousand in number. Jesus then took the loaves, and after giving thanks…” (John 6:9-11a NASB)
Readers digest the daily meditations and, hopefully, actually meditate on them. Well, the writer does the same thing. So in addition to the lessons we learned from the boy in our expanded text yesterday, as I meditated on what I had sent to you yesterday, I came up with one more thought; one last lesson to make sure we not to overlook the boy.
Yes, it’s a sequel, but isn’t today in general; New Year’s Eve a sequel that continues time into the next year? So let’s just agree that this sequel approach is appropriate on this particular day.
I have just one last lesson, for real; I promise! It’s short, but I hope it will sink in. This is what came to my mind. There is nothing in the John’s account that shows the boy complaining about why he had to give up his five loaves and two fish. There is nothing to be found where the boy asks, “Why are you taking mine?” His eyes did not wander, surveying the crowd to compare his sacrifice with the fact that no one else, wasn’t giving like he was giving. He did not scope things out to see if the others in the crowd were hiding what they had to keep it to themselves. He did not shout out, “Am I the only brother who brought some food?” He did none of these things. Therefore, the boy teaches us that we need to stop worrying so much about what others do or don’t do; stop looking at how others render or do not render to the Lord, and just keep doing what we know to be right. Sacrificing for the Lord is right. That kind of thinking will benefit every believer and every congregation.
Well that’s the sequel. That’s the single lesson. Don’t try to squelch it! Make sure not to overlook the boy! Okay I said just one lesson, so do not consider the closing verse a lesson, just a caution to help you be careful tonight if you are celebrating the coming in of the New Year with others. I love you! Be blessed!
“Wine makes you mean, beer makes you quarrelsome—a staggering drunk is not much fun.” (Proverbs 20:1 MSG)
Still committed to the climb,
Mark L. King