Jesus Fed the 5000, What About the Leftovers?

“When they all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted” John 6:12

This passage is alluding to the familiar miracle where Jesus fed the 5000. He turned five loaves and two fish into enough for thousands of people to have a satisfying meal.

But isn’t it interesting that even the pieces or fragments are valuable to Jesus? Even they can serve a purpose. But, not the most exciting one.

To read the whole passage, click here.

After Jesus Fed the 5000, What Happened to The Leftovers?

These leftovers after Jesus fed the 5000 did not have a special or glorious purpose, but a common one. They weren’t eaten on a special occasion such as a wedding or banquet. But were used to fill empty bellies and give strength to bodies, nevertheless.

In order to have a noble, glorious purpose, they would have to be made whole. Fragments would not suffice for a wedding, but they would be just fine for an everyday, common meal.

This principle holds true for the believer as well. 2 Timothy 2: 20, 21 tells us that:

“In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for common use. ²¹ Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.”

The message here is that while God will make use of even the pieces, they will not have the honor of being used for special purposes. Leftovers will not be eaten at a party or wedding or a funeral. They will have a common purpose.

They will be eaten on an ordinary day, in a common setting. But they will still serve the most important purpose that food serves, which is to satisfy hunger and give strength to the body.

What Price Wholeness?

I think we all desire to be used in some special way, for a noble, honorable purpose. But there is a price to pay for this: we must be made whole. We have to cleanse ourselves and be made holy. This requires death- to sin, needs and self.

It requires that we submit to God and resist temptation. It necessitates that we obey, which is always a threat to our well-being in some form and to some degree. All this amounts to, in a word- suffering.

Saying no to temptation is painful to our carnal nature. But Romans 8:17 tells us: “Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory”.

After Jesus fed the 5000, it would’ve taken a miracle for those pieces of bread to become whole. And, therefore useful for a special purpose. But surely the God who made bread out of nothing would not find it difficult to do that.

How to Break the Cycle

In the same way, if we are broken and desire to be whole, it requires nothing less than a miracle (Jeremiah 13:23). That’s because resisting temptation and overcoming sin (which is what makes us broken) requires a miracle.

If we’re tempted in a given area, it’s because it’s a weakness for us. I’m never tempted to rob a bank. But I am tempted to be afraid at times.

That’s because greed is not a weakness for me, but fear is. Because it’s a weakness, I’m tempted. And since I’m weak, how am going to have the strength to resist temptation?

Here’s where a miracle is needed because without the power of the Holy Spirit, I will not have the strength to resist temptation and overcome my sin. It’s a cycle of weakness > temptation> yield to temptation>more weakness.

Without the power of the Holy Spirit, which comes as we stand on the Word of God, or by prayer, we will not be able to resist the temptation and overcome the sin. That’s why Jesus said: “keep watching and praying, lest you enter into temptation, because the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak Mathew 26:41″.

It’s by prayer in the middle of our temptation that we get the power to resist it and overcome sin. Really, what we’re getting is a greater measure of the Holy Spirit (See Luke 11: 11-13).

We Have a Part to Play, Even in Miracles

So yes, overcoming our brokenness is a miracle, but we must be willing to do our part. We need to stand on the Word of God as Jesus did when He was tempted by the devil (see Mathew 4). Or, if we lack the fortitude required to do this, which will be the case with long-standing sin, we will need to pray (see above).

Interestingly, as I was thinking about this some years ago, I had to leave to pick up the kids and on the way, I ran into my old pastor. We talked for a few minutes. I don’t really know what’s going on in his life now. But I know when we went to that church years ago, he was not whole.

He was controlling and judgmental and narrow-minded. His church embraced many of the same ideals of the unhealthy Shepherding Movement of the late 70’s and early 80’s. Consequently, he could never keep people at his church for very long.

But, even in his broken state, he was used to some degree. His messages were helpful to the few in attendance, and there’s always value in a community of believers. But he never had the honor of a large, fruitful ministry that he craved.

God requires that we be whole in order to be used for special, honorable purposes. So, I think it’s possible to be a true Christian, to have genuine faith, and yet never be made whole. The Lord will still make use of those pieces, but only in an ordinary, everyday way.

It’s Up to Us to Decide: The More Whole, the More Useful

It’s really up to us to decide. The more whole we are, the more useful we’ll be. Will we remain broken and only be useful in common, ordinary ways?

Or will we do the hard work of becoming whole and thereby be made “instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work“? For other similar posts, see He Will Withhold No Good Thing: Our Part.

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