“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:” (1 Peter 5:8 KJV)
You may have heard the speech for a thousand diet plans. At some point, they all seem to target what you are eating. They all seem to make a strong correlation between what you put into your body and what you can expect to get out of that. The picture we see in the verse above tells us that we are on that meal plan. We are the hunted. So, our first instinct is to see what can be done to stay clear of that enemy. Did you notice that not only does he devour, but that he teaches the world how to devour? Contrast this with Jesus. Jesus shows His disciples how to feed people rather than to feed on people. Clearly, this is a very apparent contrast at every level. In today’s world, our entertainment feeds those desires we want to see and experience. Our businesses, government, social events, and so much more feed that part of us that we want to consume. We only want to be a part of something if it is feeding some part of us. For all the consuming that we do, it is not amazing how many are hungry?
“But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat.” (Matthew 14:16 KJV) Notice the disciples’ reaction to this in the next verse. They know what they have; exactly 5 loaves and 2 fish, and they can see the demand, “multitudes”. It’s not even a close call. We do not mind the heartwarming feeling of helping someone in need, so long as the need is smaller than our supply. That is where a mixture of faith and trust blended with watching Jesus in such a way that we come to a new understanding of who is in charge of the supply teaches us volumes. Have you noticed the bigger layer to this too? When we are concerned with seeing needs, bringing those to Christ, and following instructions to be part of the supply; we have forgotten how to devour. Our focus is no longer on where our next meal is going to come from, but rather who is hungry that needs filling? As we work in that supply chain, it becomes increasingly clear that the answer to where our supply comes from is never ourselves. It is in Christ alone.
“He said, Bring them hither to me.” (Matthew 14:18 KJV)