Think there’s not enough? Maybe, instead, you should expect leftovers!
By Dean Collins
There is nothing better than leftovers.
Last November after a few years of trying different Thanksgiving meals, one of my daughters asked if I would cook a “real” Thanksgiving dinner. “Real” was mostly about turkey. Of course, I accommodated her request. On the day after Thanksgiving, I found out why she wanted the turkey. It was for the leftovers! She told me what she really wanted was leftover turkey to make turkey sandwiches! Deli turkey is fine, but there really is nothing better than chunks of roasted turkey on good bread with a little mayonnaise.
More than enough
As I read the two instances of Jesus providing a meal for several thousand people, it struck me that Jesus was very deliberate both times about making sure there were leftovers. In both Matthew 14 and Matthew 15, it was the compassion of Jesus that prompted his provision of more than enough.
If you have ever had the responsibility of cooking for a large group, you have felt the worry of wondering whether you have prepared enough. I can’t tell you how many times during my campus ministry days, as students flooded through the door for a free meal, I wondered if we would have enough food. I have many times added more tomatoes, more chicken, more ground beef, more rice, more potatoes, and more water, trying to stretch a recipe as the crowds kept coming. And in the end, it always worked out and usually meant someone would have food the next day too.
I am quite confident Jesus wasn’t anxious about having enough. He is a Lord of abundance. I can relate to the disciples’ dilemma. Sometimes when I’ve worried about having enough it had to do with food, and other times it had to do with everything from having enough professors to teach to having enough cash to meet payroll. Concern over enough is a frequent problem leaders face.
Reason and logic
When the disciples wanted to send the crowds away to go get their own food, Jesus turned to them and said, “That isn’t necessary—you feed them.”
Based on reason and logic, the disciples were correct. Five small loaves and two small fish could not possibly feed thousands. When they told the crowds to sit down on the grass, I am sure they were already thinking about damage control. Jesus would surely have double-digit losses in the polls after this debacle. And the disciples may have been wondering how they would restart their fishing business. When there are not enough resources to meet expectations, many bad things can happen in a crowd and in the heart of a leader.
As I read these two passages, it also occurred to me that Jesus didn’t need the disciples’ faith to perform his miracles. All he needed from them in both cases was their courage and their obedience. Their job had to do with getting the crowd to sit down. Jesus provided the meal from inadequate resources found by the disciples. They gave him what they had, and he did the rest. And the result was more than enough, with baskets full of leftovers.
They gave him what they had, and he did the rest.
I do wonder what happened to the leftovers. In the first feeding, there were 12 baskets of leftovers, and in the second, there were 7. Did Jesus guess better the second time? In the first instance, you might think 12 disciples and 12 baskets. That might have been the reason. Maybe Jesus was signaling, “I can take care not only of the masses but I can also provide for you.” Scholars have opinions about this, and maybe the number is significant. But we can agree that the amount of leftover food was more than enough. And if I am guessing, I suspect the hidden message was that the disciples were to share with others as Jesus had shared with them.
Offer and then listen
When leading a church, a Christ-centered university, a nonprofit, or just dealing with managing one’s personal life and family finances, often the data suggests we’re getting close to having not quite enough. In these times I suspect our best decision is to offer the Lord what we have, all of what we have, and then listen for his instructions. The scriptures say he owns the cattle on a thousand hills, so I have to believe somewhere he can find enough to meet our needs.
Lord, our resources are limited. You have called us to work and you have taught us to pray. Today we offer you all that we have and all that we are. When we hit those moments of fear and uncertainty, wondering if there will be enough, we trust that you will provide for our needs the way you have throughout our lives. Increase our faith today that you are our provider and that you are more than enough. And when we see the leftovers, we will share them generously with high praise to the One who is and who will always be more than enough. Amen.
Your time with God’s Word
Matthew 14:13-21; 15:32-39 NLT
Photo by Matthew Moloney on Unsplash
