Twelve Baskets of Leftovers

It was somewhere around 1976 when I met John Mathis.  John was the pastor of a nearby church while I was pastor at Talbotton.  He was a kind, loving man who quietly communicated the presence of Christ in all the places he served.  While he was at nearby Olive Branch Church, our churches shared in a community Bible School.  Each day the children were asked to bring a sandwich for lunch.  I remember the day when John forgot his and one of the children gave him half of the sandwich from his sack, saying, "Tomorrow I will get my mother to fix you one, Brother John."   

When I come to the Feeding of the Five Thousand in the gospel, I remember Brother John and the boy with the sandwich.  I remember, too, the boy who came to the place where the crowds had gathered around Jesus with five loaves and two fish. (John 6:9)  When it came time to eat, the boy made his mother's lunch available to Jesus and Jesus fed a great multitude of hungry folks.  When everyone had their fill, there were twelve filled baskets of leftovers!   

It is amazing what Jesus can do.  It is amazing what Jesus can do when people are generous and do not hold things so tightly they cannot be turned loose.  It is amazing what Jesus can do when folks like you and me sign up as partners.  What happened that day by the Sea of Tiberias was a moment when what seemed impossible was intersected with the power of Christ and the generosity of a mere child.  What seems impossible today is still possible when the hand of Christ is filled by the generosity and concern of folks like that boy and you and me.