Bread Crumbs

 

I’m always amazed at how God never misses a detail.  Whether it’s knowing every star by name, the number of hairs on your head, or chasing down the one lost sheep, it seems nothing is too trivial for His attention.  Another place we see this is when Jesus fed the 5,000 in John 6.  Once everyone had their fill, He told His disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.”  Why bother with the crumbs?  Why not just let the birds scavenge the leftovers?  We don’t have a definitive answer, but today’s study seeks to uncover some possible reasons.

 

John 6:12 - “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.”

 

Things to think about:

·       We all know how He took 5 barley loaves and 2 small fish to feed 5,000 men (and scholars estimate the number could have actually been closer to three times that many counting women and children).

·       So why bother with the leftovers?  Couldn’t He just whip up another miracle as the need arose?

·       Everything God gives us is precious and not to be wasted

o   This principle goes way beyond the way God meets our material needs. Think about things like:

§  His grace, mercy, patience, forgiveness

§  How can we be better stewards of these gifts?

·       God’s nature is to be extravagant and to have our cups brimming to overflowing

o   Just because there’s a lot doesn’t mean we ignore the rest of the blessing once our personal needs are met

·       There were twelve basketfuls picked up, one for each disciple

o   The servant’s needs are always met

o   If you’ve ever been on a mission trip, how were your needs met while you were serving others?

·       There are a lot of people in the world that are left behind, overlooked, and forgotten

o   Who are the “crumbs” in your sphere of influence?

o   How do you think God would have us act towards them?

o   How do we make sure that “none are wasted”?

o   Small acts of kindness fill up baskets of changed lives