Today I'm going to take a little more of a serious side with this post. I'm going to talk a little bit about what I've been learning in one of my classes here at BYU. Yeah.. I know.. totally exciting I bet you just can't wait. But I just want to take a second and share something I learned in New Testament that meant a lot to me this week.
I think most people know the story of the time Jesus fed the five thousand with five loaves of bread and two fishes. Most of the time, when I was told the story, we focused on the miracle that reflects the physical limitations Jesus was able to break. It's incredibly miraculous to be able to feed 5000 people with an amount of food that wouldn't normally even feed ten, but I think there's something there that is often overlooked that we discussed in New Testament last week that was really touching to me.
Right before Jesus teaches the 5000, he receives the news that John the Baptist was beheaded. Now it's always going to be big news that someone you know has been beheaded, but if you really think of it in context... Jesus was related to John. Jesus' mother Mary and John's mother Elisabeth were cousins, so John and Jesus were probably around 2nd cousins. Not only that, but John was also the one who was sent before Jesus to open the door for Him. I've got to assume that Jesus knew that once John died, He was soon to be after. So can you imagine receiving that kind of news? Someone you love and have a spiritual connection with, the person that made it possible for you to do your work and atone for the sins of mankind, was captured in prison... and brutally beheaded. That's a big deal. After receiving the news, Jesus' first reaction was to be alone. In Matthew 14: 12-14 it says, "And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus. When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities. And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with great compassion toward them, and he healed their sick."
Isn't that amazing? He just found out that someone He loved was murdered and He is soon to be next and all He wants is to be alone, and then a huge multitude of 5000 people comes to Him, and He takes the time to heal them and teach them. That is incredible. That amount of compassion and service is something I will never be able to understand. I hardly ever take the time out of my day to call my parents because I have to study, and Jesus took the time to heal the sick of 5000 people and teach them.
Now I think there's something else that's interesting in here too. You don't get this insight in the gospel of Matthew, but you can find it in John. The loaves of bread and fishes that Jesus used to feed the 5000 didn't belong to Him or to His disciples. They weren't planning on teaching 5000 people when they arrived in the desert. They didn't even have food, so it can be assumed they weren't planning on staying in that place too long, but there was a boy there who had brought food enough for himself. John 6:9 "There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?" One BOY out of 5000 people came prepared with food, and was asked to give it up to feed everyone there. Honestly, I don't know how I would feel about this if I was asked to do the same. I brought enough food for myself.. why should I be asked to feed everyone who didn't prepare themselves. And not only that, but how would my 5 loaves of bread and two fish feed 5000 people! But he did it. With incredible faith, he did it, and because of this, 5000 people were able to witness an incredible miracle and be fed.
How awesome is that. That faith and compassion and service! I want to be more like that. More giving of my time and my life and the things I have to give. There are so many times when I feel like I'm having a rough time, so I shouldn't have to give to another person, or I'm prepared and someone else is not and I feel prideful and feel like I shouldn't have to help them. Why am I like that? Well, it's definitely a pride thing, but it's something I can work on and improve, and there are great examples that have been laid out before me. If you want to read the full story, it can be found in Matthew 14 and John 6 as well as Mark 6 and Luke 9!
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