Oh the infamous question that plagues us each night? What’s for dinner?
I was thinking about the story of Jesus and his disciples having to figure out what was for dinner when they only had a couple fish and a few pieces of bread and a whole hillside full of people! I love the account in the gospel of Mark. The apostles had been so busy that day and so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat.
People just kept following Jesus everywhere and he realized they were hungry and needed to be fed. The disciples wanted Jesus to send the people away but He said, “let’s give them something to eat.”
The disciples were beside themselves! I imagine their question was, “what’s for dinner?” They were telling Jesus how they didn’t have enough money to buy food for everyone and all they had were a couple loaves of bread and a few fish. They had no idea what to make for dinner.
But Jesus took that little bit that they had and fed 5000 people according to Mark 6:44. Jesus used the little to bless the many.
What talent or gift do you have that you think isn’t sufficient or is of little value? Do you think you have nothing to give to others? Do you ever find yourself just living the same day over and not looking for ways to bless others?
We have to remember that Jesus took a small amount and used it to reach a lot of people. Don’t trudge along today thinking you have nothing to offer people. God gave us all something to offer, and He will use it to bless many. We can always smile at the clerk at the grocery store. We can offer to take someone’s cart back to the cart corral; buy coffee for the car behind us at McDonalds; babysit a friend’s children so she can have a night to herself; take cookies to the local fire department; do a chore that your spouse hates to do; make your kids their favorite dessert.
Whatever your plans are today, take a minute and find something small and do it with big love. Your “few loaves of bread” can make a difference to someone in a big way! Maybe even think about what’s for dinner and then make it and take some to the neighbor! When I think about it this way, it kinda makes planning dinner not so much of a chore!
