Last night my husband and I watched “The Chosen Christmas Special.” The talented director, Dallas Jenkins, made a comment that really stuck with my husband and me and I knew I wanted to share these words. Read them until they sink in…
“It’s not your job to feed the 5000. It’s only to provide the loaves and the fish.”
This powerful statement is a reference to the event in Matthew 14:16-21 where Jesus fed over 5000 very hungry people when presented with only five loaves of bread and two fish. He took the miniscule offering that was provided and did “…immeasurably more than all we could ever ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work…” (Ephesians 3:20). Jesus took a small gift offered from man and manifested an incredible miracle that only God could do.
“It’s not my job to feed 5000. It’s only to provide loaves and fish.” Wow! It’s not my job! I’m not able to fix the things or people I’m concerned about. I don’t need to shoulder the burden of how circumstances will all turn out. Neither the outcome nor their response is mine to stress over. I have a responsibility to present a gift of time, resources, or in a package wrapped with holiday paper and the Lord takes over from there. This is so freeing! I can’t fix homelessness, world hunger, my family member’s depression or job loss, fears about illness, or concerns about our world at large. But I will ask the Lord to do what I cannot do especially with my small gift. He will be our provision and I will pray, “Loaves and fishes, Lord!”
Lord, the needs in our families, communities, and the world are great. We feel so unequal to the task of blessing those around us whose emotional, physical or spiritual needs overwhelm us. We lay the weight of these burdens at Your feet, Lord. We entrust healing, protection, and provision to You. But I ask that You would take our gifts, such as they are – to the homeless, the missionary far from home, our community, our family members – given out of our very finite love and compassion, and shower Heavenly blessing from Your hand. That we might look up see Your glory at work around us.
We absolutely love and highly recommend watching “The Chosen” as it is an amazing and inspiring mini-series on the life of Christ and his disciples. The first season is available to watch free on YouTube or on their free The Chosen app. Give yourself a Christmas gift and watch!
Prayers and Paintbrushes 