Jesus
said to them, "They need not go away; you give them something to eat."
Anger is a normal feeling in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of
2001. Although the tragedy and loss are gut-wrenching, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
has a message for us.
In the 14th chapter of Matthew, Jesus learns that his cousin
John has been killed at the whim of a young girl. He gets in a boat to seek solitude and
mourn but is followed by a large crowd. The afternoon begins to fade, and the disciples
suggest Jesus send the crowd away since there is no food for them. Instead of doing as the
disciples ask, Jesus says to them, "They do not need to go away. You give them something
to eat." What follows is a miracle in which more than 5,000 people are fed with only
a few loaves and fishes.
With this miracle, Jesus shows not only that he can provide for all,
but also that ministering to a person’s physical needs touches the soul as well as
the body.
Probably no one in the Pentagon read Matthew 14, jumped up, and said,
"Aha! Jesus wants us to send food to Afghanistan." But somehow the decision was
made to drop food packets over the countryside in an effort to relieve some of the
devastation of war. That action sent a strong message to the citizens of that country, the
message that we understand their plight and want to help.
We don’t have the individual resources to feed a whole country,
but each of us can make a difference in the life of someone who needs help. We have many
opportunities to feed God’s people. A caregiver can be a Christian friend, deliver
meals, build homes, or buy an Angel Tree gift for a little child. Actions like these feed
not only the body, but also the soul.
The path to a man’s heart really is through his stomach.
Dear God, we pray that you will teach us to minister to our
brothers and sisters as Jesus ministers to us. Bless the many volunteers and missionaries
who donate their lives to serving others. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Richard McDiffett
