// What Do You Have to Offer?//

In this miracle that Jesus demonstrated, He fed a crowd of more than five thousand with only five loaves and two fishes. It was a miracle of multiplication to meet a need for those who were with him.

Here you have 5000 over people. In my little world of beliefs, I honestly don’t think that ALL five thousand didn’t have any food to eat. I believe that there must have been a handful that had food enough for themselves. Therefore, the point of mentioning the boy offering five loaves & two fishes in verse nine is a matter of - Faith & Obedience.

Stay with me on this - the boy has followed Jesus throughout the day, heard of his teaching, and he believed that He could do what He said He can do. His faith level rose to obedience, and that when he saw a divine opportunity for a miracle to happen, he took ALL he had and offered it to Jesus, with an expectancy of nothing less than a miracle. That day, he saw the miracle happen with his very own eyes.

Now we take a look at Jesus’ disciples. They too have been with Jesus, closer in proximity (therefore heard clearer) all that He taught that day, and yet when the time came to feed the multitude, they looked at the bread and asked “what are they compared to the crowd that we need to feed?” In Matthew, in this same circumstance, Jesus had told His disciples “You give them something to eat.” And the disciples said “We have only five loaves and two fishes.” Realise this, Jesus said YOU give them something to eat. He believed in their ability to perform a miracle, but their eyes were blind to that fact, their lack of faith caused them to miss a divine opportunity to perform a miracle. It was only when they saw Jesus breaking the bread and multiplying them that their faith rose, and they were able to do likewise (- that is why you have 12 basketful of leftovers.)

Do we believe in our five loaves and two fishes today? I just feel that there is only two things that really matter and that is faith and obedience. 

What are our five loaves and two fishes today? In this miracle, the disciples and boy saw the multitude it fed, they saw the product of their faith. Not just people being fed, but that those who saw and ate, acknowledge Jesus’ power and existence. They saw the prophet who has come into this world (verse 14).

Allow me to borrow your imagination to draw this illustration - you know oranges have seeds in them right? And if you take the little seed planted, it will grow into a tree that produces many many more oranges. Do we ever know how many oranges one seed can produce? Does the seed even know? We don’t. What we know and believe is that there will be fruits produced. 

Likewise, we may not get to see the multiplication of our five loaves and two fishes, we may not see the lives it will touch and bless or the work it goes to,  but can we have that faith to believe it will be multiplied to meet the needs of God’s work? We can. And don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying we need to give to see a miracle to happen. God doesn’t need our money to perform a miracle, but our obedience is the pipeline to channel a growth of faith in our lives to see a miracle happen. Are we willing to be obedient to offer our five loaves and two fishes today? Do we have faith to believe it will bless a multitude? Are we the little young boy, or the disciples who first lacked faith?