FRAGMENTS!

Friday, October 11, 2019

FRAGMENTS!

Mark 8:19-21

19 When I brake the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? They say unto him, Twelve.

20 And when the seven among four thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? And they said, Seven.

21 And he said unto them, How is it that ye do not understand?

           All four of the Gospel writers mention the feeding of the 5000 and the fragments that were left over! All four! I chose these verses from Mark because Jesus had just warned against the leaven of the Pharisees. The apostles said: “It is because we have no bread.” Did they think Jesus meant for them to go into town and buy lunch? For three years these guys were “in class” but they were not always paying attention.

           Jesus was warning of sin [leaven] in the lives of the overtly religious but all they could think about was food. Jesus, then, changed His focus and reassured them that they would be fed. All four Gospel writers mention the fragments! All four!

           Worry over resources can make a Christian fearful and even stingy. Jesus severely punished the one who had received one talent and then hid it in the ground. (See Matthew 25:24) Parsimony is defined as “extreme unwillingness to spend money or use resources.” It is the opposite of faith. Worry is the opposite of trust. The result is a catatonic paralysis. Nothing gets done and those to whom payment is due gets cheated. What is worse is that the stingy person is never made richer for his stinginess.

Ps 37:3-5

3 Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.

4 Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

5 Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

Thank you, Lord, not only for your timely supply of my needs but also for the leftovers. AMEN