Before we came to Kenya last year, we spoke in many churches. We shared our vision and invited churches and individuals to join Maisha Kamili.
At one church, someone suggested to us that we contact corporations like Microsoft for funding. When we returned to that church for an update earlier this year, a boy told us he had $10, and he wanted to give it to us to help a Kenyan orphan go to school.
As we studied John’s account of Jesus feeding the 5,000 (John 6:1-14), these two came to mind. Philip tells Jesus, “This task will take a fortune. We can’t do anything. We don’t have enough.” The boy says, “Here’s what I have.”
Philip gave a fair assessment of the situation. Feeding 5,000 people was too much for him and the disciples to do on their own. However, he then concluded that since they couldn't do it on their own, they should do nothing, which was not what Jesus' point was in telling him to feed the people.
What the boy gave was not enough to feed 5,000 people, and surely he knew this. Even giving everything he had, it was not enough. But God is. God is more than enough, and those 5,000 people all had more than enough to eat that day. The disciples collected 12 baskets full of leftovers.
God doesn't ask us to do anything on our own, assuming we have adequate resources to do so. God simply invites us to give what we have and join in what he is doing. What we have to give isn't enough. We are not enough to do the task ourselves. But he is, and he intentionally invites us to do things that we can't possibly do on our own, so that his power can be seen in our lives.
At one church, someone suggested to us that we contact corporations like Microsoft for funding. When we returned to that church for an update earlier this year, a boy told us he had $10, and he wanted to give it to us to help a Kenyan orphan go to school.
As we studied John’s account of Jesus feeding the 5,000 (John 6:1-14), these two came to mind. Philip tells Jesus, “This task will take a fortune. We can’t do anything. We don’t have enough.” The boy says, “Here’s what I have.”
Philip gave a fair assessment of the situation. Feeding 5,000 people was too much for him and the disciples to do on their own. However, he then concluded that since they couldn't do it on their own, they should do nothing, which was not what Jesus' point was in telling him to feed the people.
What the boy gave was not enough to feed 5,000 people, and surely he knew this. Even giving everything he had, it was not enough. But God is. God is more than enough, and those 5,000 people all had more than enough to eat that day. The disciples collected 12 baskets full of leftovers.
God doesn't ask us to do anything on our own, assuming we have adequate resources to do so. God simply invites us to give what we have and join in what he is doing. What we have to give isn't enough. We are not enough to do the task ourselves. But he is, and he intentionally invites us to do things that we can't possibly do on our own, so that his power can be seen in our lives.
John 15:5
I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
2 Corinthians 12:9
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.