How To Pack A Lunch

I love how the Bible is truly a book alive. How each time you read, you find something new. How sometimes, it isn't something 'new' as much as you see yourself in the story...you see an element that is relative to you in your season.  My season (for the last 18 years) has been Motherhood. 


When I read my Bible, I read it through the eyes of a Mother.
I feel sympathy for Job's wife.
I feel the awe of the Stable birth.
I ache when David's baby died, because every baby has a Mother.
I feel the moment helplessness became heroism for Jochebed. 
       *did you know that the midwives who were supposed to kill the
        newborn Hebrew boys grew to fear the Hebrew woman, because 
        they learned to give birth silently....on a stool.....alone 
        Just to keep the murderers at bay? AMAZING!


So when I read the story of the little boy who brought the lunch to the field that day....I think about his Mother. Surely she packed that lunch. (I do often wonder how long she thought he would be gone to pack 2 fish and 5 loaves of bread!!) I've admitted in the past to being a minimalist. I would have given my sons 1 fish and 2 pieces of bread. (poor little things!)


But he was SO prepared...and was so willing to share. The disciples asked who had brought food. I can just see him running with his little basket, the innocence of childhood on his face. He didn't think they would steal it- but he had no idea they were going to multiply it. He was eager to share, because his Mom packed good lunches.


We have to prepare our children with a 'lunch' spiritually.  Why?


For THEM: They have to eat. It sure needs to be the Bread of Life.  We have to teach them to eat, teach them to accept the blessings God gives them, for their own souls' sake. They have to LIVE!


For OTHERS: They need to know how to share with others, so others can be blessed. There is a hurting world out there, and your kids' lunch can feed them.


For CHRIST: They need to be prepared to be used by Him. God will use them in whatever way He sees fit, but only if they are prepared. The Kingdom needs workers...the Master is calling.


      They should be well prepared. (Sunday School alone won't 
                                     do it!)
      They should be willing. (A child who won't pick up his 
                               clothes, won't willingly work 
                               for God.'The Lord's Work' 
                               isn't all preaching and 
                               teaching ...someone has to take 
                               out the trash. They also have 
                               to be able to work...teach them
                               HOW to do jobs well and train 
                               them to look for them.)
     They should be CONFIDENT. (It isn't fair to be thrown 
                               into something ill prepared.)


We cannot depend on others to feed our children, just like this Mother didn't send her little boy out hoping someone would give him some bread. We must send our children out everyday, knowing the voice of the Shepherd...with their Lunch of Truth, ready to serve, willing to listen and confident that they are doing the Father's business.


Let me get to packing.....