“Our children can be our greatest
teachers if we are humble enough to receive their lessons.” (Bryant McGill)
In our
society today, I believe some people can see children as not quite as important
as adults. Others could view them as an occasional nuisance (that should
neither be seen nor heard until they are needed by their parents. As you might
expect Jesus had a different viewpoint about children. In fact, one of his most
well-known miracle was done through a nameless boy (I will call him “Abiah[i]” for both
clarity and simplicity in this post).
In life,
it often happens that loss comes before Jesus doing something unexpected in
someone’s life (or in a situation). Per the request of His wife, Herodias, the
king, Herod Antipas, had chosen to behead Jesus’ relative, John the Baptist.
Jesus had gone to a “quiet place” to process His loss (and grief). Of course,
Jesus was the famous evangelist of the day that everyone wanted to hear divine
words from. Jesus couldn’t hide from the multitudes (to emotionally recharge)
because in the end they always found Him when His healing touch was needed
most.
Abiah
shows up sometime during the following story. We don’t know his age, his mode
of transportation to get there, how far he traveled, or why his parents let him
leave alone, and did not choose to accompany him to hear this famous
Prophet. The reasons for their absence
could be as numerous as the stars in the sky. Of the four gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, only John mentions who the person was that brought food to this large gathering. There are a couple things we do
know about Abiah’s parents. They knew their son well enough to know that he
would be gone for awhile. They cared enough to make sure that Abiah had
something filling to eat while he was gone. (I believe they provided enough
food for him to share with someone if he chose to.)
The
feeding of 5000 men (an estimated total could have been close to 15,000 people
with women and children added to the final number) happened in a deserted
grassy field somewhere between the later afternoon hours of lunch and dinner.
Jesus, a man of compassion, realized this mass of people had been with Him the
whole day to listen to His teachings. He knew they were hungry, and needed
food. The disciples felt rather than try to buy a small amount of food for
everyone with the money they had. Why not send them to the neighboring villages
to meet their needs. Neither of those options met with Jesus’ approval.
Here’s
another miracle most people don’t see in this story. Of all the people there,
only one person (a boy) brought food, which was five barley loaves and two
fishes. There is not logical explanation for what happens next after Jesus
blesses the food. Somehow what the boy brought for his own meal miraculously
feeds (and satisfies) the appetite of everyone present with twelve baskets of
barley loaf fragments left over. Be assured, that Jesus always knows how the
story will end.
Jesus
values children so much that He had this to say in Mark 10:15 (VOICE): Truly anyone who doesn’t accept the kingdom of God as a little child
does can never enter it. The question is, “How does an average little
child accept stuff?” Most little children don’t question trust. They accept
things as they are. There is no looking for a hidden motive (as many skeptical
adults do). Little children are in the moment.
Like a child, you must trust God’s wisdom
whole-heartedly that believing Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross is the only way a
person gets to Heaven. (No questions asked; just complete acceptance.) How can
you become more like a child in your walk of faith with your heavenly Father?[ii]
[i] “Biblical Boy Names to Show Your Faith” by Mama
Natural
[ii] Matthew 14:1-21, Mark 6: 14-44, Luke 9:7-17, John 6:1-15
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