John 6:9 is a known passage in which Jesus uses a boy to perform one of His biggest miracles, providing for the needs of a multitude. According to some authors, what Jesus multiplied was a boy’s lunch. Others believe that the bread and fish were what he had available for sale to support his family.

Bear in mind that in Jesus’ time, children were not appreciated by society. Children and women were of such little value that this story mentions only five thousand men, overlooking the women and children completely.

In spite of that, the boy became a resource that Jesus used to supernaturally solve a community problem and to help people recognize the awaited Messiah (v. 14). Similarly, what children and youth have today given to Jesus could also become a way to transform communities and for people to recognize the Savior they need.

Our Lord takes children and youth into consideration and wants to do through them something so big. Indeed, Jesus Christ started from a boy and used what He had to unfold His power to benefit many.

Scripture says that Andrew came up with the solution to the food problem: “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish.” This came as a response to Jesus’ question, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?”

Andrew’s answer gives us a great challenge: to be sensitive to the call of Jesus, to discover each child’s potential — “what they have in their hands” — and to present them to Jesus, trusting that He will continue using them with great power, supernaturally, to meet the needs of today.

This passage allows us to come to the conclusion that children and youth “have something” that in Jesus’ hands could be of great impact and significance.

“Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish.” — John 6:9a

Prayer: God, please help us to be sensitive about the potential of each youth and child that you intend to be a great blessing in Jesus’ hands.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Carlos Escobar is the Country Director of our office in Colombia.

Read all the One in Spirit devotionals.

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• “You wanna go out to eat tonight?”
• “What would you like for lunch today?”
• “There’s nothing on TV.”
• “It’s so nice out…let’s go for a drive with the top down on the Jeep.”
• “It’s starting to get warm again. We need to think about turning the sprinkler system back on in the yard.”
• “I need to run to the store to get some more diapers and Diet Coke. Can you think of anything else we need?”
• “Morgan is outgrowing his clothes so fast, is it okay with you if I go to the store to see if I can find him some new pajamas?”
• “I’ll empty out the dishwasher.”
• I’m going to take a shower.”
• “Feel like ordering a movie?”
• “The housing market is so bad right now. I don’t know if it’s the right time to sell our home. But we sure need more space.”
• “I’m starving!”
• “What would you like for dessert?”

I would bet that most of those phrases are NEVER uttered in the homes of children who attend Compassion child development centers. And the ones that are, are said in a much different context.

Wouldn’t it be interesting to listen in on their conversations for a week?

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