REPRESENT



But He answered, “You give them something to eat.” They said to Him, “That would take eight months of a man’s wages! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?” “How many loaves do you have?” He asked. “Go and see.” (Mark 6:37-38)

Jesus on the shore of the Sea of Galilee with his disciples some two thousand years ago, while standing in the midst of hungry people, asked a most penetrating question,

“How many loaves do you have?”

The twelve disciples, astonished at the question, essentially replied, “We don’t know. And even if we did, would it really matter?” They were so blinded by the need that they could not even begin to acknowledge that the solution was right before them, perhaps even within their very hands.

What Jesus said to His disciples, He says to us: “Go and see.”

Perhaps what you are looking for—the very solution—is closer than you ever imagined. It might be in your own two hands. It may sound trite, but it’s profoundly true. As Christians, we are the hands and feet of Jesus.

Much like the disciples, it would be easy for us to stand on the side of the impossible. It would be easy to see the needs and be overwhelmed with all that we are not able to do. But if anything is clear from the life of Jesus, it is this: The world of the impossible has been overthrown, and in its place a kingdom of possibilities is beginning to invade.

Christianity, at its core, is not about sitting, waiting, and hoping for some future event to happen. It is about taking action in the here and now because we believe that something has already happened, and is happening —something beautiful, something that makes all the difference in this world. As Christ-followers, we are invited not only to embrace this new kind of life, but also to proclaim the reality of this kind of life.

The new life that we have been called into is the same life that the disciples were confronted with on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. We are not spectators, but active participants, empowered by God for the transformation of this world. More than just talking about what needs to be done, or even merely praying for it to happen, we are charged to represent the answer to dark, broken and hurting world.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The 80-20 Rule

In 1906, Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto created a mathematical formula to describe the unequal distribution of wealth in his country, observing that twenty percent of the people owned eighty percent of the wealth. The Pareto Principle, or 80/20 rule, states that 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes.   Although this rule was first applied in Italy when Pareto was looking at the dispersal of wealth, it has since become a rule of thumb for many businesses.   It has been said that 20% of your workforce does 80% of the work, or 80% of your sales come from 20% of your clients.   I think this law comes into play in our lives as well.   Life is 20% what happens to you and 80% what you make of it. There are tons of stories about people who come out of difficult situations — gang life, in and out of jail, drug addiction, broken families, abuse – yet still seem to rise to the top.   And of course, there are many stories of those who have been given everything they would n
Read more

FREEDOM’S PRICE

In 1781, the Fourth of July was named a national holiday and today fireworks, parades and picnics still mark this celebration. Because on July 4, 1776 The Declaration of Independence proclaimed the thirteen colonies free from British rule. What proceeded and followed this declaration were the historic battles still taught in every elementary school. For six years the colonies shook with the Battles of Concord and Lexington, Bunker Hill and Saratoga. The war finally ended at Valley Forge where British General Cornwallis surrendered to what would be the United States’ first president, George Washington. Two years later the British and the Americans signed a peace treaty in France. Freedom does not come without a price. Through the Revolutionary War our nation’s freedom was paid for by the blood and sacrifice of the men and women who fought for their dream of what would become the United States. The battles were not easy, and the years took their toll on our young nation. In t
Read more

CHOOSING YOUR WAY

Think of all the things you can't control: the economy, your health, your income, the choices that your kids make, the decisions that your boss makes...You may have some influence over these things, but not complete control. But there is one thing you can control: How you respond to every situation. You can respond with anger, doubt, and self-pity ... or with faith, hope, and love. It's your choice. Again and again in the Psalms we encounter David in difficult situations — surrounded by enemies, struggling with sin, sinking in despair — and again and again we see his absolute resolve to think right: “Why are you so downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” (Psalm 43:5) You can't control what happens today, but you can control your actions. Don't let any situation get the best of you. No matter what you face, you can choose your own way.
Read more