How Many Loaves Have You?

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World Day of Prayer ~ March 4, 2011

In the account in Matthew 14 that was read for us, Jesus and the disciples find themselves in a sticky
situation and you might think that by this time the disciples would know how to take a step of faith.
But they still were so conditioned to living according to the rational and logical that they had a hard
time expecting a miracle.

We are so much like the disciples, aren’t we? Our first response to seemingly overwhelming situations
is usually not a response of faith. We tend to see the obstacles, limitations and impossibilities before
we see the potential of what God could do.

But patiently, Jesus once again demonstrates his love and power and multiplies the food. Do we
believe God still performs miracles like that today?

I’ll tell you a secret: It really doesn’t matter how many loaves you have. It doesn’t even matter if
you only have a few slices! Every miracle begins with whatever is in our hands, no matter how little
it may be. The challenge is to be willing to let it go so God can use it.

I believe that’s why Jesus opened by telling His disciples to feed the crowd, why He asked the question
first, “How many loaves do you have?” in the subsequent feeding of the 4000 that follows a chapter
later in the book of Matthew. I believe that’s why Elijah opened his conversation with the Widow of
Zarephath by asking for a bit of bread.

In all three cases, the reassurance of provision is only made AFTER the initial response to the request
for food. I believe we can learn a few things from all this.

1. The needs around us can overwhelm us.

That’s how the disciples felt….overwhelmed! When they looked at all the hungry people, they felt
helpless. There may have been up to 15,000 hungry people! Shoot, I panic when I have just three or
four extra people coming to the table!!

Sometimes when I look at the many needs in our world, we feel overwhelmed. Where do you start,
what can I possibly do to make any kind of difference? The problem with that kind of thinking is that
our tendency then is to do nothing.

There’s a story of a man who was walking along a beach where a lot of star fish had been washed up
on the sand due to a storm the night before. The man picked one up and threw it back into the ocean.
Someone else on the beach told him to forget it, there were too many and his efforts wouldn’t make
much of a difference. His reply was: it made a difference for that one.
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Sponsoring a child when millions are destitute makes a difference for one child. Providing groceries to
a family in need makes a difference for that family.

Bringing a warm, home-cooked meal to someone who’s recovering in the hospital is a huge blessing! I
know this first-hand.

Another thing I know from experience, is that offering to look after a young mom’s children so she can
run her errands in town without the kids in tow for a change makes a huge difference for one tired
mamma. I have a wonderful aunt who blessed me in that way for a few years.

But that’s exactly how we make a difference and change a world – one act of kindness at a time. We
can’t meet every need but we can make a one small difference somewhere. Don’t let the vastness of
the needs around you discourage you.

The disciples were ready to give up. What could they possibly do? Notice Jesus didn’t ask how many
loaves they needed. When we focus on what is needed ~ or what we THINK we’ll need ~ we get
overwhelmed and bogged down with logistics.

What do you have to give?

2. Jesus asks us to use what we have.

Are you willing to give Him what you have? The talents, the gifts, the abilities, the training, the
education, the finances, the ability to encourage, the ability to write a letter or create beautiful crafty
cards and gifts, the time to pray, the skills to do something, ANYthing?!

We often offer to pray for someone, that their needs will be met, that they will feel God’s love and
provision in a very real and tangible way, but how often are we ready and willing to BE that answer?

Jesus is asking us to get involved. In the feeding of the 5000, He says, “You feed them.” In the story of
the Widow of Zarephath, Elijah asked the woman to provide a meal for him before preparing the meal
for herself and her son. In the feeding of the 4000, Jesus asked, “How many loaves do you have?”
Each is a request or a statement that requires personal involvement. Are you willing to use whatever
you have to make a difference in someone else’s life?

In each case the people involved were willing to push past their fears and doubts and say, “It’s not
much, but you can have it, God. Use me. I am willing to get involved.”

What is in your hands? What do you have? Will you let God use the loaves, the slices, even the tiny
morsels? With God, just a little is enough. It’s plenty!
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3. Compassion is what moves us to action and releases God’s anointing.

In the feeding of the 4000, Jesus specifically says, “I have compassion for these people.” And I think it’s
safe to say He had considerable compassion on the earlier group of 5000 as well.
He decided to do something for the people because his heart was moved with compassion.
He didn’t do this to make a name for himself, make himself look good, to get praise from people, or to
show off his power. He fed the people because he loved them and cared about their needs.

Interestingly, compassion is very different from pity. While pity is a temporary bad feeling for
someone else, compassion is long-term and generally costs us something. There is a difference in
doing something out of Christian duty and doing it out of compassion. Duty’s goal is to relieve our
conscience. Compassion’s goal is to meet the needs or relieve the suffering of another.

Many places in the gospel we see Jesus compassion linked with healing and demonstrations of his
power. Compassion draws on God’s anointing. Compassion is deeply connecting with God’s heart
because it feels what God feels.

4. Compassion causes us to be generous.

God is a generous God. After the Widow of Zarephath offered to share what she thought was her last
meal with Elijah, she had enough to feed her family, the prophet and whatever guests came their way
for between two and three YEARS. When Jesus fed five thousand there were twelve baskets of bread
and fish left over. When He fed the 4000, there were seven baskets leftover bread.

When God touches your heart with compassion it makes you generous. It puts a giving spirit in you
that opens your heart, your home, your wallet willingly. It makes you more forgiving and kind. As we
take on the nature of our Heavenly Father, we become both compassionate and generous in all areas.

5. Gratitude causes us to be generous.

The first thing Jesus did was have the people sit down and then he gave thanks for the loaves and fish.
Instead of complaining or even just commenting on how little He had to work with, He simply gave
thanks for what God had provided.

When we focus on what we don’t have, we tend to get tight fisted with our possessions. But a heart of
thankfulness helps us be generous.

2Co 9:10 -11 says, “He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your
seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way to be
generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.”

This afternoon I challenge you ~ and myself ~ to conscientiously PRACTICE gratitude and generosity.
Thank God for what you have and be willing to share it.
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You have a warm home and some groceries - Be grateful and be generous with them. One of the most
effective ways to show love to others is to invite them into your home and serve them a meal. I’ll be
the first to admit that hospitality scares me. I am not naturally gifted in this department, but I am
learning that when my focus is being a blessing to my friends and family, the pressure to have an
immaculate house and to serve a perfect meal decreases greatly and I can enjoy the experience a lot
more.

You have a job, be grateful and be a blessing to your boss and co-workers. Do a great job without
complaining.

You have good health, be grateful and generous in serving others who are maybe struggling with
mobility issues or other health problems.

You are blessed with possessions, be grateful and generous in sharing with others who have financial
burdens.

Do you have time? Be grateful and generous with it. Offer some of it to someone who’s lying in a
hospital bed, or to that older couple down the road who are starting to have trouble caring for their
large yard. Or pop in on a friend, bringing some fresh muffins and coffee.

There are SO many needs around us and we are being challenged this afternoon. What is in our hands
that we can use to bless others? Are we letting God use whatever it is to bless those around us? Are
we going to selfishly cling to what little we have, focusing inward on self-preservation, or are we going
to open our hands in faith, focusing outward, and allow ourselves to be a channel of God’s blessing?

God wants to partner with us in creating miracles and meeting people’s needs. It’s not like He couldn’t
do the miracles without us, but He generally doesn’t. He definitely seems to prefer involving us in His
work. That’s part of His great generosity – surrounding us with opportunities to partner with Him so
we can be a part of something truly incredible. If we allow Him to work through us, I believe we will
see great and mighty things like the disciples did. Our God is the same yesterday, today and forever.

The women have Chile have asked the world today, ”How many loaves have you?”

Jesus asks, “Are you willing to give them to me?”

I pray our answer will be yes.

*Much inspiration taken from Lester Zimmerman’s message found here:

http://www.petrafel.org/images/message_transcript/2009-08-16%20%20-
%20Jesus%20Questions%20Series%20PART%202%20-%20How%20Many%20Loaves%20Do%20You%20Have.pdf