By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer
What was she thinking?
The mother who packed the lunch that fed five thousand.
When she bundled her son’s meal of fish and mini loaves, did she imagine the work of her hands feeding the equivalent of a city?
Was the boy out at the lake with his family to hear Jesus, or had he tagged along with an older brother? Did he overhear the discussion about not enough food, tug on a stranger’s cloak and say, “I’ll share”?
From the eye-witness account recorded in the book of John, we know that Andrew pointed the boy out to Jesus. I wonder if his tone was sarcastic when he said, “This kid’s got a lunch, but it won’t go far.”
When our daughter was very young, she overheard her father and me discussing a financial shortage in the national nonprofit ministry for which we worked. She took all the money she had in her piggy bank – a pretty pearlescent pig with a slot in its back – and gave it to her dad.
“I want to help,” she said.
It was all her money. All her savings. A whole four dollars and thirty cents.
I thought of the little boy and his lunch. He hadn’t been taught to hoard, but to give. Somewhere our daughter had picked up on that idea too.
Her dad took the money, thanked her, and let her know how important her gift was. She didn’t understand the enormity of the problem, but that didn’t matter. She didn’t have to understand in order to give, to be part of the solution. To help a need.
The next week at the ministry office, a letter arrived from an out-of-state supporter. With the letter, the individual had included a check for $4,300.00. The need was met with $4,304.30.
The impact on our lives was overwhelming – like watching Jesus take a boy’s simple lunch and multiply it to feed thousands.
Giving small does more than we think when we put it in the hands of our giving God.
Maybe we don’t understand the enormity of a particular need. We can’t feed all the hungry or clothe all the poor in our city, but we can give small, be part of the solution. Help a need.
Our God is still in the multiplying business. Let’s give Him something to work with.
Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed …
John 6:11 NIV
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Our God is still in the multiplying business. Share on X
Gracie slid a thin sheet of paper from the top drawer of her papa’s desk and held her breath, listening for his steps on the porch. It would take him only a little while to finish chores, but she had already memorized what she wanted to say.
Perching on the edge of his desk chair, she unstopped the ink well, and dipped his pen, taking pains not to drip on the leather-cornered blotter. Carefully she penned her plea.
What did the hymn say? The one they’d sung yesterday at church—“Blest be the tie that binds … each other’s burdens bear.” That was it.
Since Mama died, Papa didn’t have anyone to help bear his burden other than Gracie herself, and if she understood the words to the song as she believed she did, then God wanted her papa to have a helper. ~Mail-Order Misfire
Inspirational Western Romance – where the hero is heroic.
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A child with a giving heart. Such a beautiful testimony. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you, Marjorie. We can learn so much from children.
This is a very timely message. Right now in the midst of all the hoarding going on, it would be so much better to think of others and be givers. God blesses a generous heart.
How does God view the man that has 16,000 bottles of hand sanitizer in his garage. He was looking to charge a lot of money on Amazon to take advantage of people’s needs. He found out that Amazon would not go along with his scheme. Good for them.
Yes, Karen. I’ve heard of similar attempts during other difficult times in our nation’s history. Hopefully people will choose generosity instead.
This is indeed a timely message and great reminder. There are many who don’t have enough that we can help a little bit with. There are many who selfishly only think of themselves that we can also help in a different way. I love how our children are so giving. A big reminder to the rest of us.
Thank you for your post today.
You are most welcome, Lori. Children so often respond more generously than adults. They see the need before them rather than staring at the unknown future.
Thanks Davalynn for this!!!
Absolutely, Phylis. Thanks for reading.