The Miracle Of Sharing
Stories
Lectionary Tales For The Pulpit
Series IV, Cycle B
Object:
The Miracle Of Sharing
After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias. A large crowd kept following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing for the sick. Jesus went up the mountain and sat down there with his disciples. Now the Passover, the festival of the Jews, was near. When he looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, "Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?" He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do. Philip answered him, "Six months' wages would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little." One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him, "There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?" Jesus said, "Make the people sit down." Now there was a great deal of grass in the place; so they sat down, about five thousand in all. Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted. When they were satisfied, he told his disciples, "Gather up the fragments left over, so that nothing may be lost." So they gathered them up, and from the fragments of the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten, they filled twelve baskets. (vv. 1-13)
In an editorial in the July/August 2003 Christian Social Action magazine, Gretchen Hakola proposed an idea of how the miracle of feeding the crowd occurred. She proposed that the people probably had food tucked away in their garments. After all, what mother would ever leave the house without food for her children? The scripture doesn't mention that the crowd was disgruntled due to hunger. There's nothing about the people creating a stampede to get food.
The theory proposed that the crowd wasn't worried about hunger because they already had food. They were simply afraid to bring the food out into sight. If they did, they might have to share it with someone who hadn't brought anything.
It's like attending an all-day meeting. Have you ever noticed some of the people after lunch? Someone will inevitably try to sneak out a piece of gum or a breath mint. They make sure no one is looking or they avoid eye contact altogether. They are afraid that someone will see them and then they will have to share.
This may or may not be the truth of the miracle -- that there was enough food because people uncovered the food they brought. It could be. Phillip was unwilling to share any money to buy the crowd food. The miracle did begin with the boy's willingness to share.
Truthfully, we don't know if others brought food and were afraid to bring it out, but we certainly have our moments of selfishness. As adults, we want to claim what is ours and hold on to it for dear life. We will not let go of money, or food, or ideas.
But children don't worry about their next meal. They just trust that there will be one, so they share openly.
The Vacation Bible School at First United Methodist Church in Heavener, Oklahoma, has a tradition of collecting money for missions. It is a contest between the boys and the girls. Whoever collects the most gets to put a pie in the face of the VBS director. One year, the boys desperately wanted to win. No one could remember the last time the boys won. It had been that long ago.
Spencer put in all the cash he had -- a one-dollar bill from a recent tooth fairy visit. Garret put in all of his birthday money -- ten dollars. His mother asked him if he really wanted to give it all away, explaining that even if he put it all in, the boys still might not win. After all, it was his birthday money. Maybe he could give part of it and still buy a toy, but he insisted on putting all of it in the boy's collection bucket. He didn't want the part he withheld to be the amount the boys were short.
Now, wanting the boys to win and getting to put a pie in the face of the VBS director may not be the best motives for giving. Still, the willingness of these boys to share is impressive. Like the boy in the scripture, they stepped up and offered all they had for the good of the whole. They thought of the group as a whole, and didn't hold back. They didn't say, "The boys will never win so I'll keep what's mine." Instead they led with faith and shared.
After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias. A large crowd kept following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing for the sick. Jesus went up the mountain and sat down there with his disciples. Now the Passover, the festival of the Jews, was near. When he looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, "Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?" He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do. Philip answered him, "Six months' wages would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little." One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him, "There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?" Jesus said, "Make the people sit down." Now there was a great deal of grass in the place; so they sat down, about five thousand in all. Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted. When they were satisfied, he told his disciples, "Gather up the fragments left over, so that nothing may be lost." So they gathered them up, and from the fragments of the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten, they filled twelve baskets. (vv. 1-13)
In an editorial in the July/August 2003 Christian Social Action magazine, Gretchen Hakola proposed an idea of how the miracle of feeding the crowd occurred. She proposed that the people probably had food tucked away in their garments. After all, what mother would ever leave the house without food for her children? The scripture doesn't mention that the crowd was disgruntled due to hunger. There's nothing about the people creating a stampede to get food.
The theory proposed that the crowd wasn't worried about hunger because they already had food. They were simply afraid to bring the food out into sight. If they did, they might have to share it with someone who hadn't brought anything.
It's like attending an all-day meeting. Have you ever noticed some of the people after lunch? Someone will inevitably try to sneak out a piece of gum or a breath mint. They make sure no one is looking or they avoid eye contact altogether. They are afraid that someone will see them and then they will have to share.
This may or may not be the truth of the miracle -- that there was enough food because people uncovered the food they brought. It could be. Phillip was unwilling to share any money to buy the crowd food. The miracle did begin with the boy's willingness to share.
Truthfully, we don't know if others brought food and were afraid to bring it out, but we certainly have our moments of selfishness. As adults, we want to claim what is ours and hold on to it for dear life. We will not let go of money, or food, or ideas.
But children don't worry about their next meal. They just trust that there will be one, so they share openly.
The Vacation Bible School at First United Methodist Church in Heavener, Oklahoma, has a tradition of collecting money for missions. It is a contest between the boys and the girls. Whoever collects the most gets to put a pie in the face of the VBS director. One year, the boys desperately wanted to win. No one could remember the last time the boys won. It had been that long ago.
Spencer put in all the cash he had -- a one-dollar bill from a recent tooth fairy visit. Garret put in all of his birthday money -- ten dollars. His mother asked him if he really wanted to give it all away, explaining that even if he put it all in, the boys still might not win. After all, it was his birthday money. Maybe he could give part of it and still buy a toy, but he insisted on putting all of it in the boy's collection bucket. He didn't want the part he withheld to be the amount the boys were short.
Now, wanting the boys to win and getting to put a pie in the face of the VBS director may not be the best motives for giving. Still, the willingness of these boys to share is impressive. Like the boy in the scripture, they stepped up and offered all they had for the good of the whole. They thought of the group as a whole, and didn't hold back. They didn't say, "The boys will never win so I'll keep what's mine." Instead they led with faith and shared.
