Pack a Lunch
Luke 9:10-17
I invite you to join me on a gently rolling hillside in northern Israel. Imagine the soft breeze and picture the Sea of Galilee in the distance. Jesus and his disciples have just disembarked from the fishing boat. He is leading the group uphill and invites them to sit down.
People had followed the shoreline, and soon the hillside was filled with thousands. This was a full day of ministry for Jesus! The four Gospels recount this extraordinary day in Jesus’ earthly ministry.
Jesus saw the large crowd and felt compassion for them.
Jesus began teaching them about the Kingdom of God.
Jesus healed the sick.
Late in the afternoon, the twelve disciples came to him and said, “Send the crowds away to the nearby villages and farms so that they can find food and lodging for the night. There is nothing to eat here in this remote place. But Jesus said, “You feed them.” They answered, “But we have only five loaves of bread and two fish.”
- Luke 9:12-13
The Disciples: Send the crowds away
The disciples looked at all these people and felt helpless. How could they feed them? Their thoughts were practical. How can we fix this problem? They focused on finding a way to provide food for the crowd. Their conclusion was clear: We don’t have enough food for all these people!
Jesus: You feed them
Jesus had an important lesson for the disciples. They had just returned from a ministry trip, and He wanted to reinforce their complete dependence on and trust in their Heavenly Father. However, the disciples focused on the large sum of money needed to feed this vast crowd.
“Are you expecting us to go and buy enough food for this whole crowd?”
- Luke 9:13
BUT …
The disciples shrug their shoulders and say there is nothing they can do with so little. Three of the four gospel writers include the “but” statement. (Matt. 14:17; Luke 9:13; John 6:8-9). John provides additional details about the five loaves and two fish.
Then Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up. “There’s a young boy here with five barley loaves and two fish. But what good is that with this huge crowd?”
- John 6:8-9
Could you picture this scene with me? A young boy notices a crowd of people passing by, and his curiosity is piqued. His mother quickly packs a lunch because she knows her son will get hungry. After all, he is a young boy! Where does he live? Magdala? Capernaum? Bethsaida? Each of these towns is a fishing village located on the shores of the Sea of Galilee.
Andrew tells Jesus that they have found a boy with a lunch bag. Jesus offers a warm, kind smile and accepts the bag from the boy. The people are instructed to sit in groups of fifty, and Jesus thanks His Heavenly Father for the food.
We may be pretty familiar with the story, but how often do we apply this lesson?
Kindness goes a long way. When we say kind words to someone, our bodies release positive endorphins. These hormones—serotonin, dopamine, and oxytocin—contribute to feelings of pleasure and happiness for both the giver and the receiver.
That little boy went home with a big smile on his face that day! He shared his lunch and offered kindness to Jesus, which blessed thousands of people.
Head to Heart
What’s in your lunch bag? Do you have something to offer Jesus?
Don’t question whether it is “good enough” for Jesus to use. Express kind words and perform a kind deed for someone else. Your kindness to others will also bring you benefits!
Jesus will take your humble offering and multiply it in astonishing ways.
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