Thought for the Day

Abundance tempts us to be wasteful. One who is full cannot be tempted by food, no matter how delicious. Even the sight of his favorite delicacy can make him feel ill. However, one who is very hungry will eat any food, from bitter to bland, with as much appreciation as if it were honey, which was a great delicacy in ancient times. We tend to take for granted what we have in abundance. Many wealthy people are wasteful, throwing away things they do not want; even things that are still useful and could help those who have nothing. In affluent societies like ours, we can be insensitive to the suffering in other nations. I believe we commit a great sin when we continue indulging our own desires, while turning away from the cries of the poor and hungry. If every Christian gave something to the needy, we could substantially reduce the number of hungry people in the world.

Jesus went about doing good and ministering to the poor; and we, His followers, should do likewise. He demonstrated both compassion for the poor and also frugality when He provided food for the multitude of over five thousand and later of over four thousand (Matthew 14:14-21; Matthew 15:32-38). Both times, Jesus instructed His disciples to gather up the remaining fragments and not waste them.

These two miracles of feeding multitudes of people with so little food demonstrate a Biblical principle. God uses small things to bring about big miracles. People who feel small and inadequate may wonder how God could use them. God, however, delights in confounding the wise of this world by greatly using people and things that seem insignificant. "But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence" (1 Corinthians 1:27-29).

The world may despise many of God's servants, but God uses weak people to show forth His great power. A plaque hanging on my office wall reminds me of this principle. It reads, "God never asks about our ability or our inability, but about our availability." We need to remember to thank God for all that He has given us and share with others less fortunate than ourselves. No matter how little our contribution may be, or how insignificant we may feel, let us remember that our little in God's hands becomes much.