John 6: 10
Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). 11 Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.
Steps to Take in Times of Need: Part II
Bread (Photo credit: ulterior epicure)
In my last post we covered some of the principles of problem management that we can learn from the miracle of the 5 loaves and 2 fishes. The first step is to identify the problem and engage thinking that will yield a solution. Andrew showed a measure of faith and action in the face of doubt when he looked for resources within the environment to solve the problem.
One of the important things that we overlook in reading this passage, is that Jesus matched the solution with the problem. The people were hungry and tired. They needed food. Andrew, scanned the environment for food and found a small boy’s lunch. He offered it to Jesus even though he was not convinced that it would do any good. It may seem obvious and not worth mentioning that we should choose solutions that are an actual match for solving the problems we face. You’d be surprised how many people choose solutions that no only don’t solve their problems, but actually make them worse.
Brothers and sisters, we court problems and sorrow when we identify a need and seek to solve it with actions or substances that do not address the need. How many people worry about how to pay their bills and smoke cigarettes, take drugs, gamble, go shopping or get drunk as a first step in solving the problem. Spending money on activities that fritter away the resources you need to solve the problem doesn’t help. A glass of alcohol, drugs, cigarettes and new clothes don’t solve problems. Instead they open doorways to addictions and poor decision making that create more problems. Isaiah 55: 2 says:
“Why do you spend money for what is not bread,
And your wages for what does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good,
And delight yourself in abundance.”
In other words, two of the major steps in managing a problem is to first identify the problem and then have a solution that actually fits the need. The miracle of the 5 loaves and 2 fishes gives us the next step in problem management, which is to organize your situation so that it becomes more manageable. A crowd of 5,000+ hungry tired people could have easily deteriorated into a mob situation. There are times when the size of our problems can make them seem unmanageable. Jesus was not overwhelmed. Instead, He took control of the situation by giving instructions to have the people sit down. This created an atmosphere of calmness, gave the people a chance to rest and prepared the crowd to receive their blessing efficiently. Sitting the people down also provided clarity for those who were distributing the food and made it easier for them to see who needed to be served next.
The next step in managing problems is to be thankful for what we do have. After the people were seated, Jesus gave thanks for the food and proceeded to take action by breaking the bread and distributing it to the crowd. The outcome is legendary: Over 5,000 people were fed. They were not only fed, they were satiated. The problem had been identified, a solution matching the need was decided upon, available resources were gathered, the situation was put into an organized format, thanks was given for the resources and the plan was put into action that resulted in satisfaction.
What problems are confronting you today? Take action by following the steps outlined. Get a sheet of paper and give your problem(s) a name. If your past solutions have failed, examine them to see if they are an actual match for the need. Scan the environment for what you have that can be used and make a plan and list them under the problem they are intended for. Organize your situation (write down the steps you will take to do this), give thanks for what you do have, and act (detail each action and list the steps). But that’s not all. The next post will discuss the final step: picking up the pieces.
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