On this journey of following Jesus, it’s easy to focus on what we don’t have. Feelings of inadequacy can hold us back and keep us from stepping out and being used by God. In John 6 we’re reminded that Jesus uses what little we do have to do amazing miracles.
In John 6:5-6 we read: “When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, ‘Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?’ He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.”
This passage reveals a significant lesson for all of us. When Jesus asked Philip where they could buy bread for the multitude, He was well aware of their lack of resources. However, His question wasn’t intended to emphasize their lack but to test Philip’s faith and to reveal a profound truth about God’s abundant provision.
If you’re familiar with this section of scripture, you know that Jesus used what they had, two fish and five loaves, to feed over five thousand people. He turned their “little” into twelve baskets of leftovers.
Often times, when we’re faced with life’s challenges, like Phillip, our first instinct is to focus on what we lack. But Jesus, in His divine wisdom, asks us to shift our perspective. Instead of dwelling on what we lack, we should consider what we have, even if it seems insignificant.
Jesus knew that He was going to feed the crowd miraculously and He wanted to demonstrate the boundless abundance that flows from our faith in Him. And as we learn to focus on what we do have and trust in His provision, we tap into His infinite resources and open the door for His miraculous work in our lives.
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