“Let Nothing Be Wasted”

The Jewish Passover Festival was near.

When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?”  He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.

Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”

Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”

Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.

When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.

After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” 

John 6:4-14

When you think you don’t have much to offer, remember your own Sunday school teacher, and what they imparted to you. At some point, Dwight L. Moody, Edward Kimball, Peter Marshall, Billy Graham, Wilbur Chapman, Billy Sunday, and Mordecai Ham were all children who had a Sunday school teacher who made an impact on their lives.

God uses small things to accomplish great things.

Our Daily Bread - March 8, 2011