There is a Lad Here Jn. 6 :9 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO
So often we don’t do something that we can do for God because the thing we can do seems to be so insignificant. But insignificant people doing seemingly insignificant things abound in the Bible. And yet they turn out to be big deals. In Jn 6:9 Andrew said to Jesus, There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many? They were nothing and yet with them the Lord fed a multitude. So, what can we learn from this lad with “five barley loaves, and two small fishes.”
God uses insignificant people – “a lad” – this was just a little boy and yet God used him to feed over 5,000 people – the rooster that crowed was a small thing but he preached Peter under conviction [Lk 22:61-62] – Balaam’s donkey was an insignificant thing and yet God used her to preach Balaam under conviction [Num22:28; 2 Pet 2:16, notice that the donkey was female but spoke with a man’s voice – God did that] – God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty, 1 Cor 1:27. This really is troublesome for people who want to do something BIG for the Lord so that they will be noticed.
God uses people that are present – “here” – Andrew said, there is a lad here – there is no way that this lad could have helped the Lord if he had not been present to hear him preach – sometimes people get the idea that they can attend their church services once in a while or on Sunday morning only and that when God wants to use them, then they might make more of an effort to attend – it never happens like that – you must be present to be used – Isaiah said, “Here am I, send me” – how many times when we have special meetings are people absent that need to be there – and they miss opportunities to be used of God because they are somewhere else.
God uses small things – “five barley loaves, and two small fishes” – preachers often refer to this as a sack lunch or a little snack – indeed it was miniscule compared to the need – consider the widow’s two mites [Lk 21:1-4] or the widow of Zarephath and her little barrel of meal and cruse of oil [1 Ki 17:10-16] – in each case, like the lad, they gave it all to God and God blessed it – so, next time you think you need to do something big before you will do anything, think again. The $5.00 you have to give now is what the Lord is interested in, not the $1,000 you would give if you had it [2 Cor 8:12]. God wants to see how you’ll handle something small before you take on something bigger anyway [Matt 25:21].
God uses these three to do big things – “what are they among so many” – they are nothing among so many is the answer – but in the hand of the Lord, they were all he needed – with that lad’s little lunch, he fed a multitude – consider Noah – he was insignificant, present [walked with God, Gen 6:9], and small [one man] and yet he saved the world – you and your dog wouldn’t be here if it hadn’t been for him – consider Isaiah – he was insignificant [the son of Amoz, whoever he was], present [“Here am I, send me,” Is 6:8] and small [one man among a nation] and yet God used him to prophesy to four kings and a country and he wrote 66 books of the eternal words of God – consider Jesus – a carpenter’s son who said “not my will, but thine, be done,” Lk 22:42 – and yet he became the Savior of the world – you just have to give what little you have to God and let him multiply it and do something big with it.
Conclusion: So, next time you have an opportunity to do something for God, no matter how insignificant it may appear to you, do it. Just be sure to be present in the place where God can use you.