“Crisis management”

By Rev. Michael Stonhouse

Meditation – Friday, January 10, 2025

John 6:1-14 (Forward, p. 73) CEV p. 1107

One crisis is usually far more than enough for most of us, but another one on top of that is far too much. In today’s account of the Feeding of the 5,000, we usually think of the problem of providing enough food for the crowd as being the chief, or only, issue or crisis, but it isn’t. More on that later.

Obviously, then, the question that Jesus put to Philip is the most obvious one, “Where will we get enough food to feed all these people.” So, here the crisis is named, is identified: step number one.

The answers, the suggested ways and means of crisis management, mentioned here is what we’d probably expect:

Philip replies: “Don’t you know that it would take almost a year’s wages [two hundred denarii] just to buy only a little bread for each of these people? (verse 7). It is essentially a ‘throwing his hands in the air’ and crying “what’s the use?”

Andrew’s response is a wee bit better, but not a lot: “There is a boy there who has five small loaves of barley bread and two fish. But what good is that with all these people?” (verse 9). He has an idea, but doesn’t think that it will work.

And what does Jesus do, but to take what they have, what has been offered to them, bless it, break it, and distribute it—and it worked! Miracle of all miracles! (After all, we are told at the onset that Jesus already knew what He was going to do) (see verse 6).

So, what can we take from this episode of crisis management on Jesus’ part? There would appear to be three things:

Firstly, Jesus knew and identified the problem long before we did.

Secondly, Jesus had a plan in mind.

And thirdly, He made use of the resources that we have, that we

offer to Him, by blessing them and multiplying them to avert

the crisis.

That’s only one of His crises, however. The crowd, sensing that here was a ‘good thing’, someone who can produce food out of virtually ‘nothing’, decide that they should perpetuate this by making Him king. After all, this is even better than the ‘bread and circuses’ that the Roman emperors promises to their urban crowds! And so, Jesus had to defuse this crisis as well. And, remarkably, this is not an issue for them alone: far too many people, even today, put their faith in Jesus simply for what they believe that He can do for them, hence the appeal of the so-called ‘health and wealth’ gospel. Instead, we should simply trust in Him for whom He is.

Forward notes: ”There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?” (verse 9)

“When asked by Jesus how to feed thousands of people, all Philip can see is the magnitude of the problem. Andrew, however, offers something to Jesus, as preposterous as it seems. By doing so, he makes a small opening in which Jesus can enter. Jesus takes what is offered, blesses it, and gives it to the people. He could have fed everyone without the disciples’ help, but Jesus is inviting them to be participants as a way to expand their imagination in faith. I’m sure Philip’s faith is not the only one stretched as thousands eat and are satisfied by one small lunch miraculously multiplied.

“I need to remember God’s mysterious mathematics the next time I’m facing a seemingly impossible situation and surrounded by the enormity of my own inadequacy. Instead of focusing on my limitation, I can offer what I have to Jesus, as insignificant or ineffective as it may seem. I know he will take it, bless it, and use it. The miracle is in the offering.”

Moving Forward: “When have you experienced God’s mysterious mathematics, multiplying your joy and taking away your sorrow?”