Problem Finder or Problem Solver

"That's impossible, we don't have time for that."  "I don't think we should do that, we don't have enough people to do it well."  "That's too complicated, we are all too busy." "It would be nice, but we don't have the resources to do that."  This is a small sample of the standard answers I have given when someone, at work, at home, at church, asks me if we should, or how we should do something potentially complicated.

In my personal life as well as in my professional and social life, I tend to be the person who can't help but to focus on the problem, rather than on the solution...

I woke up thinking about this fact about me.  And it troubles me a great deal.  While thinking about it, the Lord led me to the story of how Andrew brought the boy with the 5 loaves of bread and the two small fish to Jesus to feed the 5,000...

When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.

Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”

Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” (John 6: 5-9)

I love this passage.  But I had forgotten about the first part of the interaction, when Jesus first turns to Philip with a test question...and Philip fails miserably.  I had forgotten that I am Philip.  

"Where/how shall we _________________ (fill in the blank), Gisela?  I have not the slightest clue, and I don't really want to take the time, my precious time/resources/intellect/strength/abilities to even consider thinking about a possible solution to the situation.  I don't even want to make the effort to look around for someone else who might be more than willing/able/ready to accomplish it.  I just don't want to be bother...so, from my perspective, it's impossible, Lord...it would take way more than what I have to do this...and it would still not be enough!

Sigh...

I am so familiar with the ways of Philip...I need to learn to be more like Andrew.  It only takes a few minutes of concentrated attention to detail to realize that, even though I might not be the one with the answers, there is someone else, right beside me who could have exactly what we are looking for.  it only takes unselfishness.  It only takes a little bit of caring.  It only takes faith...the kind of faith that causes us to look around, use our brain and put two and two together.  

Andrew knew they did not have the material resources to feed five thousand men plus all the women and children.  But he put two and two together by bringing someone who had very little to offer, to the One who can turn our meagerness into more than we can ever imagine...as long as we are willing to give it away.

What a lesson in humility.

Philip's thinking remain within the realm of the possible through his own efforts.  He never even considered that it wasn't about him or even the twelve.  It wasn't about what he, Philip or the collective group of disciples could do.  It was all about trusting Jesus.  It was all about knowing that He is the One who can.  It was all about knowing that it is not about us.

Andrew's simple faith gives us a great example of knowing that yes, we can't...by our own means it is impossible for us...but it is about the One who is able...so let us bring our inadequacies, our poverty, our weakness, our very little bit we've got to see Him turn it into unimaginable abundance.  I pray I can stop being the problem finder...anyone can see the problems...I pray that the Holy Spirit would turn me into a problem solver by intentionally bringing it to Jesus, especially when the odds against it are overwhelming...