What you got?

To whom MUCH is given...Much is required!

What have you got?

A boy goes to listen to the teachings of a well known teacher. As he gets deep into thought about what is being spoken, a sound disturbs him. A rumbling sound. What was it? Was it him? He clutches his stomach and looks around quickly to see if anybody else heard the despairs of his stomach. No. They were too busy thinking about their own stomachs. He had been so distracted in those past two minutes that he had not realised that the teacher had finished and people had been muttering about food. In the distance, he noticed the teacher being approached by his disciples with the disciples asking about where they can get food from. The boy began to dig in his pockets to see if he brought any snacks with him. He had been in such a rush! Why did he not bring any food? Surely the disciples will struggle to find food for such a large crowd. Something caught his eye. Another small boy was approaching the disciples...with his...packed lunch! The boy smiled to himself- how generous of the boy to offer his food to Jesus and His disciples. But what about everyone else?! The boy could see lips moving- a lot of conversation. Jesus then took the bread from the boy said a few words and broke the bread. The disciples then began passing the food around amongst the crowd!! The crowd! He was sure there were only 5 loaves and 2 fish in the packed lunch! The boy thought he had better get going home. It will be disappointing if he waits to see if the food will reach him. He was at the back of the crowd! On the other hand, he had heard many stories about Jesus. Imagine if he left and missed out on seeing a miracle. It wasn't long until the boy was well fed...all because of 5 loaves and 2 fish. 

This a well known story in the Bible found in the Gospels, where Jesus feeds a large crowd with just 5 loaves and 2 fish! Imagine if that young boy didn't bring his lunch to Jesus. Would the people in the crowd starve? Jesus used what was brought to Him?

We have so much inside of us. 2 Corinthians 4:7 reads that we have this treasure in our earthen vessels! Find your Bible! Read that scripture! I wasn't lying was I?! There is treasure inside of you! So what have you got?!

I was thinking the other day about our lifestyles. How much we offer in life? How much we hold back? I know I hold back because I either think that I have nothing to offer or what I do have is insignificant. Pastors able to preach the Word. So and so can encourage that person. All I can say is have a good week! But hold that thought- there's a higher thought to displace it....we have this treasure in our earthen vessels! God has put things in our hands, things in us, things around us - how are we using them? There are people in the world waiting to be fed. Many times in the Old Testament, we read of God's people crying out for deliverance. God answered their prayer using people on the earth! Why? Because they had hidden treasure! A lot of us are crying out and God is calling us to use what we have got! Why? Because we have hidden treasure! 

Sometimes we think that much is not required from us, because we have not been given much true. It is true that people do have different levels of responsibilities but much is still required, because we all have been given much-though we sometimes despise the much. We have to be careful not to despise what God has given to us. Esau did that to his birthright, because at the time it was insignificant to him. We can see what we have as insignificant and hold back! The Bible teaches us that Christ is in us the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27). Now I don't know about you, but as I read Bible I find that Christ is a lot! A lot of love, a lot of wisdom, a lot of joy, a lot of peace. And I have that inside of me :O We can not despise what we have (nor who we are-but that is a whole nother topic!). We have been given much-much is required. The boy could have kept his insignificant lunch to himself, but he gave it to Jesus, who has the power to turn the ordinary into the extraordinary!

On a side not- we have been given authority. Things that are not right in this world- we can change. By the power of His Spirit, we can move forward and be world changers! Me and a friend recently started to help out at the church I attend by doing the PA system. Now I knew just about nothing about PA systems. I only knew how to turn something up and down and use the power button! I now found myself learning how to alter sounds and to ensure sounds blend and....o wait...that person needs a little more reverb and....it will sound great if I put a delay in here. One day whilst working the PA system I learnt about authority and responsibility. In Christ we have authority. Only whilst working on the PA system did I have authority over the sound. Outside of that I couldn't be telling anybody what to do (especially as I didn't even know how to work it before!). I was listening the sound and realised something wasn't right and thought to myself "Somebody should really fix that!". After a few seconds I realised that that somebody was me! *sigh* How many times do we look on and say "Somebody should really fix that!" when God has given us the peace, joy and wisdom to bring to situations- the authority to change situations! 

What I love about this story is that the boy brought 5 small loaves and 2 small fishes! And it fed about 5,000 people. They boy was probably thinking, I will keep my food to myself - it's just about enough to feed me, let alone 5,000. "I will keep my joy to myself, I just about have enough." "I will keep my peace to myself, I just about have enough." " I will keep that Word to myself, I just about have enough." We hold back and can even get stingy with it! How much faith did that young boy have?! Give his lunch away! All who know me know how much I love food! I'm not sure I could give that away so easily! But God has the power to multiply what we give Him! What will you bring to Jesus? The world is waiting to see the goodness of God through you.....