It's a Matter of Perspective

Isn't it funny how it is easier to see the hand of God at work in others than it is to see it at work in our own lives? It is a matter of perspectives, I think.  We sit way too close in our own show to really appreciate it and see what's going on.  But when we watch someone else's show, we are free to witness it all.  And, I'm telling you, God's shows are the absolute best!

Such was the occasion this past Sunday at church, when I was blessed to witness the work of the Holy Spirit in the live of someone else, right in front of my eyes.  All of us sitting on the pews had the privilege to see God's amazing work in the life of a fellow believer.  It is not my place to share his testimony, but I just want to share the impact that his testimony has had in me.

As I sat there, listening to him preach about the 5 loaves of bread and the 2 fish the little boy presented to Jesus to feed the 5,000+ crowd (John 6: 1-14), I wanted to weep.  The point was that from our perspective, when facing a giant task, we take a look at what we've got, and all we see are limitations.  The contents of our baskets seems pitifully meager when measured against the impossible task in hand.  We don't have the right tools.  We don't have the right equipment.  We don't know enough.  We are too weak.  We are too young.  We are too old.  We are too sick.  We are too poor.  We are too scared.  We are too self-conscious.  We are too blind to see the truth.

And the truth is that, even though, of course, we are not able to handle anything by ourselves, we cannot stop there, for we are not by ourselves.  We are not alone.  It is not by our might, strength, resources, abilities, intelligence, etc. that we will accomplish what we are designed to do.  We only have 2 fish and 5 things of bread, for the love of Pete! How are we supposed to feed a crowd of a projected 15,000 or more with that?  Of course the thought is crazy!  That's not the point.  The point is that we are to submit the contents of our baskets, regardless of how meager they are, to the feet of the Cross and let Jesus, the Almighty Son of God do the rest with it.

It's not as if Jesus would not have been able to feed the crowd on that day had the little boy not brought in his offering.  The point is that Jesus wanted that little boy to be a part of it.  Jesus wanted that nameless boy to be part of the most important story in the history of the world, the story of Jesus and His redemption of humanity.  Even though we don't know who that boy was, and only one of the gospels actually mentions the fact that it was a boy who selfishlessly offered what he had so Jesus could perform the miracle, Jesus knows him, and that's enough.  Because Jesus knows him, that boy is dear to all of us who have been touched by that story.  Because Jesus knows him, we are talking about him today. 

Jesus knows us too...and that is enough as well.  He knows we don't have enough.  He knows He doesn't need what we have.  But He wants us to be part of His plan, and the only way we could be part of His plan is if we offer to Him all that we have...regardless of whether we think it is enough or not.

No matter how insignificant the offering of the boy in John 6: 1-14 was from the perspective of the world.  God does not look at us from the world's perspective...Praised be His Holy Name!!  He looks at us from the perspective of His love and through the lense of the blood of Christ.  And from that perspective, we are more than enough!

Had the speaker last Sunday decided that his basket did not contained what was needed for him to share a message with us at church; those of us sitting on the pews would not have been touched by the power of the Holy Spirit at work in his soul and life...and we had all missed out on witnessing a miracle.

May the Holy Spirit guide us and teach us to see things from His perspective so we can be willing to share what He has given to us and be part of His Kingdom-Making Plans.