A Different Story

I admit it.

I’m a poor brainstormer.

It’s not that I don’t ever have ideas.

I do. But I tend to overthink them.

The packing tape of my mind is just a little too sticky sometimes and I can’t get them out of the box.

And I’m even worse with somebody else’s ideas. They hardly have them out of their mouth and onto the table — or the whiteboard if you’re one of those — before I’ve figured out why they won’t work.

I’m a lot like Philip, not so much like Andrew.

::

When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.

Philip answered him, “Eight months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”

Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” (John 6:5-9)

Jesus sat on a hillside surrounded by needy people and contemplated yet another miracle. In the other gospel accounts, it seemed the disciples came to Jesus and told him to send the hungry crowd away. Since they were in the middle of nowhere, it would be best if they left to get themselves something to eat.

Jesus flipped them on their ear. You give them something to eat.

In his Gospel, John put a little different spin on it. Jesus grabbed a teaching moment with His men. He asked Philip a question, and according to John, did so in order to test Him. He already knew He was going to do the cool thing.

But he wanted to know if Philip could see it coming. He wanted to know if His guys had seen enough of Him yet to know that He could handle a hungry crowd.

Philip looked around. And he saw a lot of people.

A multitude.

Five thousand.

At least.

He looked a little further, and didn’t see a Moe’s Burritos sign. No Winn-Dixie. He pulled out his GPS and found they were hopelessly far away from the nearest buffet. And besides, even if there were a place to eat right across the road, how would they pay for it? He reached into his tunic pocket and fingered just a couple of copper coins. Eight months’ wages would not buy enough.

Bad idea, Jesus. We don’t have the resources.

No place to go. No way to pay. Just can’t do it.

Send the people home. Tell them to go find themselves something to eat.

This wasn’t billed as a Lunch ‘n Learn, Jesus.

They’ll understand.

::

And then along came Andrew.

Andrew was always coming along.

And he always had somebody along with him. This time, Andrew had the kid with the food. It wasn’t much, and Andrew was quick to point that out.

But he tried.

He brainstormed a way to feed a big bunch of hungry people.

Andrew’s biggest problem was that he tried to brainstorm in the same conference room with somebody like me.

Somebody like Philip.

He put his idea out there, kind of a crazy one, and then quick ducked his head because he knew Philip would tell him he was crazy. Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish. But then he qualified it. But how far will they go among so many?

To Jesus, he said, Look, maybe You can make something of this. I found a kid with a few things.

A little fish, a little bread. I’ve seen You do more with less.

Remember that water and wine thing You did? Think You could make something happen here?

But to Philip, he turned to the side and muttered out of the corner of his mouth. He didn’t want to look too stupid if Jesus couldn’t pull it off.

Yeah, I know. Really dumb.

All that will feed is that one kid, maybe one other. Sure won’t feed five thousand.

Don’t know what I was thinking there.

Jesus jumped up to make His teaching moment count. He took the few things, thanked the Father, and set them to feeding the people.

The disciples passed the food around.

And around.

And around.

Everybody ate, and there was food left over.

::

Jesus wanted Philip to have greater faith. He wanted him to get past what seemed possible.

What made sense.

What was reasonable.

Philip, get past that and see what I can do.

Believe Me for more.

Dream with Me.

Believe me for what’s not possible.

He wanted to stretch Philip’s faith.

But He wanted to stretch Andrew’s faith too.

You’re on the right track, but Andrew, go all the way with Me.

Don’t stop short. Don’t worry about what Philip thinks is silly.

You believe I can do it. Follow with Me all the way through.

When you believe Me, and I know you do, stand tall with it.

Don’t duck.

::

Brainstorming by faith, this is risky business. We might look stupid. Somebody might tell us we’re crazy.

But high risk investments often have the greatest yields.

Risking to believe Him, this always has immeasurable returns.

Believe Me for more, He tells us.

And then don’t duck.

:: :: ::

(With some decisions on the horizon, we brainstorm options and I am reminded of this post from August of 2008. I’m seeing the impossible, and suggesting Jesus just send the people on their way. He’s saying No, you feed them.

It’s not yet clear what exactly He asks us to believe Him for, but I distinctly hear Him saying, Believe Me. And don’t duck.)

Jesus, give us grace and wisdom to stand up straight in that faith, and resist that urge to duck.