Recall the story about the feeding of the five thousand. The disciples brought complaints about the hungry multitude to Jesus and he responded compassionately by blessing the bits of food from a boy’s lunch — five loaves of bread and two fishes. “Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They ate and all were satisfied” (Matthew 14:19-20).
Now, imagine a scenario in which the disciples just kept thanking Jesus for all the bread and fish — without passing them along to the people. Imagine the disciples starting to be overwhelmed by the piles of multiplying loaves and fish surrounding them, yelling out to Jesus, “Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!” — all the while never passing along the food to people. And then beneath the mounting piles of food, the disciples even could be heard complaining to Jesus that he wasn’t doing anything about the hungry multitude.
How kind of Jesus to include the boy and the disciples in his miracle. Surely he could have done it differently. Surely he could have commanded the heavens to unload manna and quail right on top of everybody. But how beautifully he included the boy’s tiny offering. Jesus no more needed those five loaves and two fish than my wife and I needed our toddler children’s “help” in baking cinnamon rolls for our visitors. But what a wonderful, life-changing day for that boy to be part of Jesus’ miracle. How fun for the disciples to go among the grateful, joyful multitudes — to be the hands dispensing Christ’s supernatural power and love. How ridiculous, on the other hand, that they should imagine that the vast piles of bread and fish should be given to them for any other reason than to feed those who were in need.
So too with the ministry of God’s rescue for the oppressed in the world. How does God rescue the life of the needy from the hands of the wicked? Overwhelmingly he does it through those who choose to follow him in faith and obedience. He doesn’t need our “help,” but he chooses to use us.
— Gary Haugen, Good News About Injustice, pg. 115-116
(Source: rarehunter)
