There Is A Lad Here Who Has Five Barley Loaves And Two Small Fish, But What Are They Among So Many?

There Is a Lad Here Who Has Five Barley Loaves and Two Small Fish, but What Are They Among So Many?

—John 6:9

We have all been there. At some time or another, we have found ourselves in a situation where demand exceeded supply, where we came up short and asked ourselves, “What’s the use? What is this supply in the face of so many needs?”

Jesus’ disciples found themselves looking out on the multitude of people who had gathered in Galilee. It was time to eat, and the disciples had nothing to serve. Kids were crying and stomachs were growling. Then Andrew stepped forward with a little lad and a little lunch. Andrew did quite well at first: his initial words suggested his faith. “Lord, here is a boy with a few fish sandwiches! But when you think about it, what are they among so many?” Andrew was about to find out how little can become much when God gets involved.

My undergraduate degree is in business administration, and I shall never forget my very first college economics course. My professor went to the blackboard (yes, this was a few years ago) and wrote down a little formula he called the law of supply and demand. Then he turned to us and declared that it would be the foundation for everything we did in class the rest of the semester. It is a simple principle: When demand exceeds supply, prices go up. When supply exceeds demand, prices go down.

Now, what does this law of supply and demand have to do with our Lord feeding thousands of people on a Galilean hillside? Jesus was all about the law of supply and demand. Without Christ factored into life’s narrative, demand will exceed supply. The people had a need for which there was no apparent supply. So their cry was “Not enough!” But when Christ got involved in the equation and multiplied the loaves and fish, supply exceeded demand (the disciples took up several baskets of leftovers). Now the crowd’s cry was “More than enough!”

WITHOUT CHRIST, DEMAND EXCEEDS SUPPLY, AND THE CRY IS “NOT ENOUGH!”

Picture thousands of people away from home and hungry. There was a very large demand for which there was no apparent supply. At first, no one looked to Jesus for help. They simply threw up their hands in desperation. Phillip came upon the scene and immediately thought about how much it would cost to buy bread for that big a crowd. His first thought was the cost, not the Christ. This is always the way it is when we don’t factor Christ into the equation of our life. Those who try to fill the void of life with money never have enough. How much is enough? Just a little more. How much recognition is enough for some people? Just another pat on the back. Just another round of applause. Just a little more. Why? Because the void of life on our own is so large, only Christ can fill it.

When Andrew stepped forward and said, “A lad here has five barley loaves and two small fish,” it was a good enough start, but he continued with “but what are they among so many?” (John 6:9, emphasis added). Give him an F. He flunked. Andrew became part of the problem instead of the solution. Our Lord was testing him (v. 6), hoping he would say, “Lord, I don’t know what to do, but I know this is no problem for You. I saw You turn water into wine. I know You can do anything.” But Andrew was thinking like many of us and not factoring Christ into life’s equation.

Without Christ, demand always exceeds supply, and our cry is “Not enough.” It may be that you have a need today for which there is no apparent supply. Perhaps the need is physical, emotional, material, or spiritual. Little can become much when you allow Christ to get involved.

WITH CHRIST, SUPPLY EXCEEDS DEMAND, AND THE CRY IS “MORE THAN ENOUGH!”

We all know the story well. Jesus took the bread and fish, gave thanks, then miraculously multiplied it to feed the entire crowd. After everyone had eaten, the disciples picked up the leftovers and filled a dozen baskets. Yes, more than enough!

How did it happen? The boy gave. He could have clutched his little brown lunch bag and kept it to himself. But he didn’t. The boy planted a seed that day. He gave. And he gave all. He could have given one loaf and one fish, but he gave all he had. That exchange between the lad and the Lord tapped the eternal resources of heaven and moved them into the bankrupt affairs of men.

But that is still not the entire story. After the people had eaten their fill, they gave back the excess. As the boy’s lunch illustrates, we never give the Lord anything and see it wasted. Remember, it is not the size of your lunch that matters, but whether you are willing to factor Christ into the equation of your life and let Him do what only He can. Because little is much when He is involved.

Q & A: “What are they among so many?” Not much at all if you only look with human eyes. But Christ has bigger and better plans. The thought that strikes me most in this story is that this lad left home that morning with the potential to feed thousands of people with his little lunch—and he didn’t even know it. It may be that you who are reading these words right now have incredible potential . . . and don’t even realize it. Yes, little is much when you factor Christ into the equation of your life.