Matthew 5:14-16 New International Version (NIV)
14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
What could be more beautiful than ‘Shining Your Light’ in a dark world? Many people (read crowds) are in need of Light which only true Christians can shine. However, many Christians don’t ‘Shine their Light’, that is, practice good deeds that are visible, for one reason or another.
Mark 8:1-8 New International Version (NIV)
Jesus Feeds the Four Thousand
1 During those days another large crowd gathered. Since they had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to him and said, 2 “I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. 3 If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way, because some of them have come a long distance.”
4 His disciples answered, “But where in this remote place can anyone get enough bread to feed them?”
5 “How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked.
“Seven,” they replied.
6 He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. When he had taken the seven loaves and given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people, and they did so. 7 They had a few small fish as well; he gave thanks for them also and told the disciples to distribute them. 8 The people ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.
In Mark 8:1-8, Jesus Christ was in the business of ‘Shining His Light’ when He had compassion on a crowd that had followed Him for three (3) days.
How can you ‘Shine Your Light’ just as Christ did? Further, how can you do great things and even the impossible?
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Possess a compassionate heart
Do you have a compassionate heart? Jesus knew that the crowd was hungry.
A compassionate heart is able to identify and appropriately respond to the needs of others. Why? Because great needs will arise in the course of ‘Shining Your Light’, that is, living your life, answering to your life’s call, or going about your business.
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Your Light is sufficient
In fact, the Light that you possess is more than sufficient. Despite the crowd being 4,000-plus strong and in a remote place, seven (7) loaves of bread were more than enough.
Whenever you’ll identify a great need, whatever you’ll have with you will be more than sufficient to satisfy the need. Unfortunately, many don’t start to meet a need because they don’t believe in what they have or start to look for solutions from without.
”The solution to the great problems in our society is within you and your reach
Cliff LukayeBe Sharpened
God can use anything for His glory – What you think cannot be a solution because of its in-adequateness, is great in God’s hands. The little flour and oil in the Widow of Zarephath’s hands became much (1 Kings 17:7-16). Similarly, the staff in Moses’ hands turned into a serpent that ate the Egyptians’ ones, brought the ten (10) plagues, parted the Red Sea, and struck the rock to create a spring of water (Exodus). And the sling in David’s hands not only felled a bear, but Goliath was a national problem (1 Samuel 17-18).
The disciples had seven (7) loaves, and 7, in the Bible, is the number of creation, completeness, achievement and perfection. In other words, whatever you have is more than enough because of God’s ability to do more than we can ask or imagine, including the impossible.
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Faith and Gratitude
It will also take faith in God’s Word and Power, and a thankful attitude to meet great needs. After Christ had told the crowd to sit down, He took the loaves and gave thanks. He thereafter gave His disciples to distribute.
It is the faith to work with the little that causes multiplication. In the feeding of the 4,000, God caused multiplication at the point of distribution.
