Jesus values the little things

• Everyone can contribute to the kingdom – even the
poor and powerless

• The Lord is creative with our offerings


John 6:5-13

When Jesus then lifted up [his] eyes, and saw a
great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip,
Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? And
this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he
would do. Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth
of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of
them may take a little.

One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's
brother, saith unto him, There is a lad here, which
hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but
what are they among so many?

[The bread used by the very poor and unfortunate, or
in times of famine – was made of barley. A loaf was
typically the size of a large dinner roll. The small
fishes mentioned were probably dried sardines]

And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was
much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in
number about five thousand.

And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given
thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the
disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of
the fishes as much as they would.

When they were filled, he said unto his
disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that
nothing be lost. Therefore they gathered [them]
together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments
of the five barley loaves, which remained over and
above unto them that had eaten.

Sometimes when there is some great act of
service to be done, the Lord uses those who are little
esteemed in the eyes of the world, for they make no
boast of their own power or wisdom, but put their
entire trust in Him, and count what little ability
they possess as being of no great value.

For instance, in the wilderness when Christ fed the
five thousand with five barley loaves and two small
fishes, he did not perform that miracle by the agency
of his disciples, for they were full of doubt and
perplexity and wished to send the multitude away
hungry. His servant on that occasion was
just a poor little boy.

That small child must have been filled with a desire
to hear Christ’s words. I can imagine that his very poor
mother must have wrapped up some barley cakes and
dried fish for her son’s lunch. And then when inquiry
was made for food to share with the multitude, this
faithful little lad at once brought all that he had
and laid it at the disciples’ feet.

Though surely
there were wealthy people there who had with them much
better food, such as wheat bread, they were not
prepared to give theirs up; so it was from the barley
cakes of this boy, that by Jesus’ blessing the
multitude was filled. (Singh – At the Master’s Feet –
adapted)

When it seems that what we have to offer the
kingdom is inadequate or not important enough… we can
remember that he desires to include us in his work,
and that he will magnify those poor “barley bread”
offerings that we place at his feet – and that he will
turn them into the choicest food to bless others.