Seeing Things Differently: How Jesus views Lack.

It took me some time to follow up on my first blog (Seeing Things Differently: An Eternity's Perspective) because I was thinking about how to start this entry in order to get the reader's attention. No story emerged from my head. No creative illustration. No flashy introduction. Just this truth: EVERYONE EXPERIENCES LACK. Whether it is material or immaterial - all of us experience lack. Whether you're a student, a young professional, a businessman, a housewife, a retired CEO, professor, teacher, preacher - you name it. A student experiences financial lack or lack of experience. A leader experiences lack in skills or character. A young professional experiences lack of clarity in direction for the next season. A retired CEO experiences lack - maybe in attention - family attention. In whatever status of life we are in, we always experience lack. 

While thinking of what to write about this, God made me realize that ultimately it is not the lack that we fear - it is what this lack can do to us. It is the possibility that this lack can become something more. A student who lacks in financial support may cause him his future. A leader who lacks in skills and character may cause him his people or even his people's welfare. A young professional who lacks in clarity of direction may cause him his long term goal in life. We fear not just the lack - but what this lack can do to us. We fear that this lack may result to a loss. The good thing is, lack is not a new thing - meaning people in the past had experienced it, particularly people during the time of Jesus. Another good thing is this: If lack has already been experienced for a long time in the past - the Word of God stands Eternal - older than the past and from this, we learn how Jesus views lack. 

In the New Testament, Matthew wrote the account of Jesus feeding the 5,000. This is a famous story in the Bible mainly because it is one of the stories that everyone can relate to (and of course the miracle of multiplying the loaves and fish). You can read the story in Matthew 14:13-21 but let me do a quick rundown After John the Baptist was beheaded, Jesus went to a solitary place but because his fame  has already spread to many places, crowds followed him (v.13) and had compassion on them (v.14) so He healed the sick. Since it was going late, the disciples said to Jesus to send the crowd away (v.15) (sometimes we tend to be like that to Jesus - we impose our will) but Jesus replied to test them by saying "You give them something to eat." The disciples only had 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish but Jesus gave thanks and multiplied it and fed the 5,000 and still had leftovers. 

The lesson here is simple: give what you have to Jesus and he'll multiply it. But there's something more to this. Remember the way Jesus responded when the disciples said that they only have 5 loaves and 2 fish? He said, "You give them something to eat." What do you do when the Son of God tells you that? What will you do when you're experiencing financial lack then God says, "Give your tithes."? What will you do when you're leadership is in the brink of not improving then God says, "Surrender this."? What will you do when you're experiencing lack of attention when God says, "It's okay, give it to them."? What will you do when you are in the verge of losing your source of validation then God says, "Let it go."? 

Bible scholars said that Jesus' statement served as a test to His disciples and it really is but I would like to see it as an Invitation. Jesus' statement was an invitation to See things differently. The disciples saw 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish and they saw it as a lack but Jesus saw it differently. A student who experiences financial lack has an opportunity to experience God's overflowing provision. A leader who experiences lack in skill and character has an opportunity to improve. A person who experiences lack in validation and security has an opportunity to experience the completion of God's Work in His life. Anyone who experiences lack has an opportunity to be changed - to never be the same again. While we saw it as a lack, he saw it as an opportunity to provide - an opportunity to display God's glory.

The next time we see lack, let's see it as an opportunity to see God's Provision - let's see it as an opportunity to see God's Glory. See Things Differently.