Food For Thought 

By Robin Calcutt.

As the local CAP (Christians Against Poverty) Debt Coach, I am bombarded with requests for Foodbank vouchers, for which CAP is an official referral agency. Whilst some people can take ‘full advantage’ of the generous free handouts, it is clear there has been an increase in demand of late with many people struggling with rubbish budgets that simply don’t work! That begs a question… what on earth is going on if in one of the richest countries in the world (yes, we still are!), there are so many living in need of the most basic necessity – food? We are not short of food but too many simply do not have enough resources to buy it! The ‘system’ really is broken…!

When Jesus walked the earth, he did amazing miracles, not for their dramatic effect, but to verify his identity and teaching for those who had spiritual eyes to see who He really was. He did not give food to 5000 men (plus women and children) simply because they were hungry. He had a point to make and it wasn’t to gain publicity or draw attention to the miracles themselves.

Interestingly, in Matthew’s account, Jesus has just heard about the death of John the Baptist. I think it is significant that Jesus chose to withdraw privately with his disciples to a quieter place. They went by boat across the Sea of Galilee, but the crowds followed on foot around the shoreline. Clearly most people who saw and heard Jesus did not understand fully who He was and why He had come. They did however get caught up in the sharp and fresh teaching, and his miracles. His reputation spread like wildfire. No wonder the religious leaders felt threatened.

It is a sobering thought that many thousands saw this miracle happen right before their eyes, even tasting the bread and fish so amazingly provided, yet in the end did not receive Jesus for who He was and is. Some will have done, but many did not. Not so many people ended up following Jesus. Even his own disciples often missed the point. Jesus changed tack when he saw the crowds arrive. He had wanted ‘time out’, but had compassion for the crowd anyway. Is there a lesson here of being sensitive to the Spirit of God in our own lives? There is a time to rest, there is a time to respond. We can’t always be doing one or the other, constantly. The key is to seek to follow Jesus’ example and follow the prompting of His Spirit – when to withdraw, when to respond. Let Him decide. Let us follow obediently where he leads.

Jesus doesn’t seem to have been bothered that it was late and the crowds had no food. It was the disciples who raised the issue. When they did, Jesus’ reply must have deeply puzzled them: – ‘They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.’ Now to me that sounds grossly unfair. How on earth were the disciples supposed to come up with the resources to feed the huge crowd? … which surely is precisely the point!

Jesus has limitless resource and can always provide what is needed for any situation, however seemingly impossible. The disciples only had one lunch (not their own!) and could see no other source. Yet they stood next to the very One who had (and has) every resource at His disposal! This is a question of looking to Jesus, trusting him for the answer when the situation or challenge seems impossible. After all, if he is our Lord, our Shepherd, then surely he knows what we need in every situation. His care and provision are that of our perfect Father in heaven.

It was Jesus who directed the people to sit, perhaps with the help of the disciples. Then he takes the small lunch and gives thanks and begins to share it out. I cannot even imagine what that exactly looked like. My mind boggles at the thought of never-ending supplies of bread and fish! All were satisfied and there was plenty left over. Another lesson for us? When God gives, he gives generously and sufficiently, according to his perfect wisdom and will. The lesson, of course, of this all too familiar miracle is that He is our Great Provider. The lesson is far more important than the miracle, amazing though it was.

It is my humble opinion that God has been speaking to us in the UK and we haven’t been listening. With Covid, which He allowed to happen, we should have learned what was really important – Himself - and that all worldly securities are easily lost and cannot save us or answer the questions of life. Only trust in Jesus gives security and worth and purpose and life in all its fullness, now and in the future.

He allowed Covid and he has also allowed this current economic crisis too – surely the lesson is the same. Look to me, trust in me, says God. Share your resources, learn generosity, even in adversity. The small lunch was a pretty insignificant donation but represented a huge sacrifice for the one offering it! Yet it was a donation that was given to Jesus (all of it!) … and that made all the difference!

Yet still we wander further and further away from Him in our national life that seems increasingly selfish and God-less. The western world’s system of relying on money and wealth creation generally, whilst allowing so many to go hungry around the globe has been found to be broken and unsustainable. We all need to recognise that we cannot keep getting richer whilst the vast majority of the world’s population remains so poor. There is enough for everyone if we were not so self-centred and greedy.