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As we read the story about Jesus feeding the 5000 with a young boy's five loaves and two fish, we wonder why there are still people who are hungry.  While it is true that there are more than 5000 in our world who will go to sleep hungry tonight, it seems that if Jesus could handle the problem with a few thousand, He could handle the larger number who long to be at today's table.  All four of the gospel writers note this feeding event so there is little reason to doubt that it happened.  What troubles us is that we do not see such things happening more often.   

The truth is that people are being fed.  All of the world's people may not be fed, but maybe it is at least fair to say more are being fed today than yesterday.  In John 14:12 we hear Jesus saying, "Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in Me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father."  It is striking that Jesus says more will be done by an absent Jesus than a present One and it is also noteworthy that the more getting done is placed in the hands of those like us who follow Him.  Back in the day of the miracle, He depended on the generosity of a young boy who had a lunch and a willingness to share it.  The miracle of more being fed today is likely going to happen in the same way.  Who among us is going to be generous enough to share their lunch?    

Of course, lunch is not being defined here as a "baloney" sandwich, but the generous and willing sharing of what God has placed in our hands.  This is exactly how that powerful image of John 14:12 is going to be fleshed out in our world.  Feeding the hungry who live in the web of poverty, or beneath some expressway bridge is a possible thing because Jesus is behind the feeding ministry, but it does seem that what He would choose to accomplish is also contingent upon people like the young boy of the story as well as those like us who hold in our hands far more than we need to sustain our own life.