Some Bread and Fish with a Side of Sanctified Speculation

 

It was a beautiful day near the Sea of Galilee. Around midday, a young boy runs into the house panting and asks, “Imma, can I go exploring in the countryside this afternoon?”

She loves him dearly and can’t bear the thought of anything bad happening to him, so she tries to distract him.

“I’ve just finished preparing lunch. Let’s sit down and eat together.”

“But Imma! I’m not hungry! I’m still full from breakfast!” he says, eager to head out on an afternoon of adventure.

He’s such an endearing child that she can’t say no, so she says,

“Okay, but let me pack you some food to take along. I know you’re going to get hungry.”

She lovingly takes five small, freshly baked barley loaves from under a cloth, along with two fish she just roasted over the fire, wraps them up, and puts them in a sack.

The boy slings the sack over his shoulder and runs out the door, yelling, “Thanks, Imma! I love you!” as he heads toward the sea.

The afternoon comes and goes. As the sun sinks, so does her heart. Her precious son isn’t home yet. All of a sudden, he comes bursting through the door, overflowing with excitement.

“Imma! Imma! You won’t believe what happened today! I promise it’s true, but you won’t believe it! It was the most amazing thing ever!

I was down by the sea. Don’t worry, Imma, I didn’t go near the water. It was over by that one area I told you about before; I saw a huge crowd. Imma! It was the biggest crowd I ever saw! Some men were off to the side, and they looked real serious. So I went over to see what was wrong, and they were talking about trying to find something to eat out here in the middle of nowhere. Can you believe it, Imma?…out here, in the middle of nowhere. Imma! I told them they could have my lunch because Abba always taught me to share and that our Abba in Heaven always takes care of us, so we should take care of others.

One of them, I think his name was Andrew, looked at the lunch you gave me and said, “I doubt that will do much good.”

Then he took me to a man who was standing in front of the whole crowd. They called him Master. He was such a kind man. He put his hand on my shoulder and said, “Thank you, my child! This is more than enough.”

He lifted my lunch up and asked Adonai to bless it. Then he called that group of men over, the ones that looked so serious, and gave some of them the bread and some of them the fish and told them to feed everyone.

One of them, I didn’t catch his name, said the Master was crazy. I heard him mumbling that there were thousands to feed and my lunch was not even enough for him, much less enough to share. But I believed the Master. Why would he accept my lunch if it wasn’t enough?

Imma, it was amazing! The Master kept giving them more fish and more bread to pass out. It never ran out. I don’t know how the Master did it, but he did it! He fed all those people with my lunch. Everybody had plenty to eat, and there were even leftovers that they had to put in baskets, twelve of them, Imma! Just like the number of Israel’s tribes.

The boys voice softened. “Imma?” he asked, “What kind of man can do this?”

As tears streaked down her cheek, she replied, “He’s more than a man. He is.”

 

The narrative, as recorded in all four Gospels, testifies to God’s sufficiency and  His perfect plan that often seems impossible when seen through human eyes. It’s also a testimony of faith.

It’s hard to imagine that the young boy knew how the Master would use his small lunch in such a huge way. He didn’t have much, but the Lord Jesus used what he had not only to feed a huge crowd, but also to establish a lasting testimony of God’s ability to magnify what we offer him and use it to do things far beyond our own ability.

Just as that loving mom had no idea she was packing lunch for over 5000 people, we don’t always know what God will do through us.

God has likely used someone else’s loaves and fish to impact your life.

In the few minutes they had to spare, they prayed with you and for you. With the little money they had, they bought you a coffee as you sat down and poured your heart out to them. In these encounters, or similar acts of generosity, they showed you Jesus’ love and explained how He demonstrated it on the cross.

The loaves and fishes principle is clearly demonstrated in The Tide ministry’s history and growth. Charlie Byers was the face of the ministry. But many others gave their loaves and fish, not knowing how God would use them. Then, He multiplied the gifts and fed the hungry souls of those with limited access to the Gospel, in their heart language.

We are grateful when you give your “loaves and fish” because lives are eternally changed. Your financial support does so much more than purchase broadcast time, media players, and resources for training centers and literacy classes. God uses it to feed hungry souls and lead them into a life-transforming relationship with Jesus.

The Tide Forward Vision is a bold campaign. But we aren’t looking at the number of people to feed and doubting God’s ability. We know what He has done and will do. We encourage you to prayerfully consider what your five loaves and two fish look like when the Master blesses and uses them. Use your sanctified speculation to imagine your part in someone’s story.

You can give through thetide.org/vision

 

Notes:

This story is based on Matthew 14:13-21, Mark 6:30-44, Luke 9:10-17, and John 6:1-15; we’ve kept the facts recorded in Scripture. We have also imagined what might have happened where the Bible is silent. This is what some call “sanctified speculation”. Our goal is to stay true to God’s Word, sound biblical theology, and biblical principles while illustrating that the Biblical narratives happened in the context of real people and a real God.
Imma is Aramaic for Mother and Abba is Aramaic for Father.