Lessons ~ Jesus Feeding the Five Thousandနမူနာ

Learning From Children

Andrew reports to Jesus that there is a lad, who has five barley loaves and two fish.  John alone records the part of the little lad who was willing to give away his lunch to meet the need of the people. There is no mention of the lad in the rendering in the other three gospels. 

This is our problem with children. We do not take children seriously. Andrew and John were somehow drawn to the child, though they too never believed that what the child had to offer, would in any way meet the need. We need to ask the Lord to give us a heart for children.

Children are very special with the Lord.  he Lord wanted children to come to Him and He did not want children to be forbidden from coming to Jesus (Matthew 19:13-15).  We may not have forbidden children from coming to Jesus but our behaviour could have hindered them. As adults, are we bridges and stepping stones for our children to come to Christ?  

It is children, who are showing for us the gateway to enter into the kingdom of heaven (Mark 10:13-15). Whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it (Luke 18:17, Mark 10:15, Matthew 18:3).  

What is the primary lesson that we need to learn from children that gives us entry into the kingdom of heaven? The lesson that needs to be learnt from children is the lesson of TRUST.  Children trust implicitly. It is by faith in Jesus, we are saved (John 3:16, 3:18, 3:36, 5:24, 6:29).  It is from children that we learn the lesson of faith or trust.  

Our task is to give utmost importance and nurture to children, so that the kingdom qualities of a child are not ruined. This is for our good. Training a child is for the child’s good, but it is also for the good of us, adults. If we do not nurture them according to principles of God’s word then we do not have models of the kingdom of God (Mark 9:35-37, Matthew 18:1-6).  

Jesus took the children up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them (Mark 10:16).

Thought to ponder

Matthew 18:6  "Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.