1June2015 Loaves & Fishes

The war in Syria has created nearly 4 million refugees.  That’s four million people that have been forcibly relocated from their homes to another host country, due to imminent threat of death.  4,000,000!  It's so easy to look past that number.  

When I was growing up, the McDonalds in our city had a board under it's giant, neon "M" that gave a tally of how many burgers they had sold. It stated "Over ______ million served," the number changed periodically to keep up with the count.  Eventually they gave up and changed it to "Billions and Billions Served."   Of course this number is so much more important than sandwiches.  Each of those seven digits represents a living, breathing, wishing, dreaming person.  4,000,000! 

It's easy to gloss over that number.  It's just as easy to be overcome by the colossal scale of the issue. Where we live and work, we interact with said refugees on a daily basis.  Each one has a story, most are heartbreaking, many are gut-wrenching, some you wish you could un-hear.  We're constantly asked for money, food or help with problems (usually medical and usually something to do with children).  Honestly it's overwhelming. Not because we want to be insulated from the crisis and not because we don't want to help. it's just that the pain is so immense, the hurt is so vast.  We afteral are just one family.
How utterly silly to think like this!  One, we are not alone.  There are many others engaging those made vulnerable by the war.  Two, God is bigger.  It's possible to say that without sounding trite, right?  HE IS BIGGER!!!  
A couple days ago, I was studying the story of the feeding of the five thousand found in John chapter six.  A huge, hungry crowd surrounded Jesus.  The problem - Immense! The expense -Vast!  There were a couple different responses.  Philip's was to throw money at it.  He quickly realized that the need was greater than their purse.  Andrew looked for a more pragmatic approach.  He found some food to distribute but it was barely enough for one grown man's meal.  Jesus' reaction is of course perfect and one we should earnestly try to emulate.  Rather than panic, He took what was available, gave thanks to the Provider and distributed the food.  God multiplied the resources and Jesus refused to waste them.  Such a great example for His followers in the face of insufficiency.  Praise Him for what you have, use it to minister to others and don't waste anything.  If we could all just to that....