Living in the Spirit
July 25, 2015

Scripture Reading: John 6:1-21

‘There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?’ Jesus said, ‘Make the people sit down.’ Now there was a great deal of grass in the place; so they sat down, about five thousand in all. Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted. When they were satisfied, he told his disciples, ‘Gather up the fragments left over, so that nothing may be lost.’ So they gathered them up, and from the fragments of the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten, they filled twelve baskets. –John 6:1-21

What is enough? It is a simple question but one about which books have been written. For we live in a world with clearly enough resources for everyone and yet The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that about 805 million people of the 7.3 billion people in the world, or one in nine, were suffering from chronic undernourishment in 2012-2014.* This is actually a significant drop from 18.7% in 1990-92, but 11.3% of the world being chronically undernourished remains unacceptable.

Our scripture today tells the story of a boy who grasped the concept of our interdependence on one another and offered to share his lunch. Unlike the disciples who saw the feeding of so many as hopeless, this child, in his naivety, did what he could and it was enough. He had faith in the Christ factor. When we come together in the true fellowship of love, we become more than the sum of our parts.

Our world, our country seems to be caught is the same chasm of hopelessness Jesus’ first disciples exhibited. He called them to a better way. He is still calling us to that better way today. Some form or another of the phrase “fear not” appears many times in Jesus’ teachings. It is always easier to “fear not” when there are others fearing not with us. It is called the Body of Christ in the world today when we answer the call to being one with Christ.

Prayer: Lord, grant us the wisdom of a child’s naivety as we love one another through your everlasting power of oneness. Amen.

*http://www.worldhunger.org/articles/Learn/world%20hunger%20facts%202002.htm

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.