What Are Your Five Loaves and Two Fish?

The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.

By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. “This is a remote place,” they said, “and it’s already very late. Send the people away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.”

But he answered, “You give them something to eat.”

They said to him, “That would take more than half a year’s wages! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?”

“How many loaves do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.”

When they found out, they said, “Five—and two fish.”

Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand.

Mark 6:30-44

Throughout my life, when reading about Jesus feeding the five thousand, I have always focused my attention on the miracle. With just five loaves of bread and two fish Jesus fed thousands of people. And then there were leftovers!

However, today, when paired up with Proverbs 3:9-10 and 27-28 I viewed this story through a different lens.

Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.

Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act. Do not say to your neighbor, “Come back tomorrow and I’ll give it to you”—when you already have it with you.

The disciples were tired and hungry.

We see at the start of the story, well before we get to the miracle Jesus performs, that this was supposed to be the time where Jesus and his disciples were able to withdraw for some well earned peace and quiet. It was time to rest, share a meal together, and recharge the batteries.

“Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.

However, a need arose. People flocked to them like a sheep without a shepherd and Jesus had compassion. Then after teaching, before sending them away, Jesus asks, “What food do we have?”

I can imagine the disciples were doing the math at that moment, seeing only five loaves of bread and two fish to feed the 13 of them after the crowds left. They were tired, hungry, and probably already wishing they had a bit more to go around!

Then Jesus says, “Go ahead and feed the crowd.”

“That would take more than half a year’s wages!”

It is easy to have this be the posture of our heart when we see a need to be filled in our world today. At times, I might feel called to give my time or finances to a cause, and the first response is often, “Do we have the extra to give away? We are already supporting all of these other ministries…”

Don’t get me wrong, every person cannot support every ministry in the world. Every Christian cannot fill every single need in our society.

It is important to bring these things to God in prayer, and see where God is leading you.

However, it is also important that we are willing to then listen to his answer.

If Jesus calls us in a certain direction, we should remember his promise in Proverbs that God will always find a way to provide if we honor him with the firstfruits of our labor, and not just what is comfortable if there is some left over at the end of the month.

We need to trust in God’s ability to feed the five thousand with just five loaves and two fish.

So, this year, when you feel God’s calling to give of your time or money, let’s not “say, ‘come back tomorrow’, when we have the power to fill a need today.”

Let’s not be the disciples counting the cost, when we have already been given marching orders from our King.

Take time to pray. Take time to ask for God’s wisdom on where you can best fill a need.

Then let’s act and see what miracles God has in store!

Daily Reflection & Dialogue

Is there a need God is calling you to fill that you have not yet taken action on?