To contemplate the words, works and miracles of Jesus is a wonderful exercise in challenging me to become more like Jesus as and drawing me into a closer worship of Him. Children always had a special place in the heart of Jesus, as He related to their simple faith and love for Him. Rarely are they self-opinionated, self-seeking and prideful as we adults can be. Matthew 18: 1-4 “At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, ‘Who then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” I wonder if I have really thought deeply enough about how important it is to Jesus, the manner in which we receive and deal with little children. I have been so blessed to work with mothers, babies and children over many years; and even these days in my supposed retirement, I have the frequent privilege of bonding with and helping needy foster children. V 5 “Whoever receives one little child like this in my name receives Me.” V 14 “Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.”
Unlike so many leaders and teachers of His time, Jesus not only valued and listened to children, but to their mothers as well. Both were naturally attracted to the loving and sympathetic Saviour. Mark 10: 13-15 “Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them. But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, ‘Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means receive it.” V 16 “And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them and blessed them.”
Jesus had gone with His disciples over the Sea of Galilee to seek a little ‘away time’ for Himself and disciples. It was not to be, for the people found out where they had gone and followed. John 6: 2 “Then a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased.” Jesus initiated a discussion about how the multitude were to be fed, and finally one of the disciples said V 9 “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?” I can imagine this boy who had been lovingly provided for by his mother, and then the boy not understanding why suddenly his food was taken away, and then his query turning to awe and wonder when his lunch became part of a great miracle of creation and provision. V 10-12 “Then Jesus said, ‘Make the people sit down.’ Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted. So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, ‘Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost.”
I am impressed by the order of it all, the hungry ‘followers’ were seated in rows, and the men numbered. As was constituent with the cultural ways of the times, the woman and children were not counted, but I am sure they were also given food. I just love the fact that a mother prepared for her child and then that little child was part of this wonderful miracle performed by Jesus. V 13 “Therefore they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten.” Did Jesus also create the baskets that the fragments were placed into, or were they just available by chance? But that is unlikely, for all through scriptures there are examples of events, that could be counted to be chance, but God said they were from Him. Then the people were to take portions of the fragments home, thus distributing the knowledge of this miracle, and the blessing of this miracle far and wide.
My prayer is that Jesus will fill us with His love, so that we can especially love and respect the innocence and trusting nature of children, and so distribute God’s blessing on them, far and wide. And always thank Him daily for the children that share or come into our lives, for they are a creation of God (as we are also). That we will also daily give thanks for God’s provision of good and healthful food and more often share of what we have with others in need.