Nothing Useless

John 6:1-13
1 After these things Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (or Tiberias).2 And a great multitude was following Him, because they were seeing the signs which He was performing on those who were sick.3 And Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat with His disciples.4 Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand.5 Jesus therefore lifting up His eyes, and seeing that a great multitude was coming to Him, said to Philip, "Where are we to buy bread, that these may eat?"6 And this He was saying to test him; for He Himself knew what He was intending to do.7 Philip answered Him, "Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, for everyone to receive a little."8 One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to Him,9 "There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are these for so many people?"10 Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.11 Jesus therefore took the loaves; and having given thanks, He distributed to those who were seated; likewise also of the fish as much as they wanted.12 And when they were filled, He said to His disciples, "Gather up the leftover fragments that nothing may be lost."13 And so they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves, which were left over by those who had eaten.(NAS)

Wow, that looked a lot shorter in my Bible study program. Anyway, most of us have heard this story before. It is a great story of Jesus' ability to provide whatever needs there are. But something that isn't as often thought about is that it shows how God uses our gifts, no matter how insignificant, for His glory. As MacArthur states:

"Of course, Jesus didn't even need to have that boy's lunch in order to serve the crowd. He could have created food from nothing just as easily. But the way He fed the five thousand illustrates the way God always works. He takes the sacrificial and often insignificant gifts of people who give faithfully, and He multiplies them to accomplish monumental things."