Love is like five loaves & two fishes…it never multiplies until you give it away…
How true is it that “we cannot give what we don’t have!”?
He who has little has given greatly … the little was made many; the limited became “much”! He did not worry that he might possibly run out of what would sustain him; instead, selflessly, he shared the little that he had, saying: “take my five loaves & two fishes, do with it as You will, I surrender! You can use it all, I hope it’s not too small.”
That little boy in today’s gospel: because he saw the kindness in Jesus’ smile and the gladness of the people who were listening to Him, he didn’t think twice to be a channel of blessing to others. ‘buti pa sya … limited lang ang meron, pero kinayang magbigay? Hindi nagdamot mag-offer. Kung gaanong “kapiraso lang” ang meron sya ay nadagdagan ng higit pa, kesa sa dami ng kinailangan, dahil sa laki ng “willingness” na meron sya sa puso nya.
Sounds ideal? … I hope not!
Thus far, this actuality bother me: bakit silang mga “can afford” naman sana, napipilitan lang magbigay?; bakit kung sino pa ang meron, sila pa ang nagwo-worry na baka kapusin kapag nag-share sila?; bakit kung sino pa ang may siguradong kita, sila pa ang namo-mroblema sa kung magkano na lang ang matitira? May mga pagkakataon na ini-enjoy na sana ng pamilya ang kinitang pera, ibinili ng kailangan at di naman winaldas; pero mas natatabunan ng pagka-STRESS ang enjoyment dahil bigla na lang, mas na-prioritize ang “kaba” sa mga susunod pang gastusin. Laging may halong alinlangan tuwing nagsi-share. Parang lagi na lang, may katapat na halagang mababawas sa budget when they give … always reluctant to exert effort to something that wouldn’t yield a benefit to them, or their family.
Fears, inhibitions, worries, all the burdens, mas lalong nagiging mabigat kasi sinosolo! — instead of lifting things up to God. As if they do not trust that God will reward every loving service that they do — kaya ang sinasabi, “you can only give what you have!” – parang laging galing lang sa bulsa ang kayang ibigay!
Yes, partly true: we need to know what’s in the budget, much that we need to recognize our current limits – BUT we don’t need to be limited by them kasi, si God, mas sinusubukan nya ang laman ng puso mo kapag paubos na ang laman ng bulsa mo.
True that it’s tediously difficult to share when we almost have nothing. Struggle ito! Yet, we flourish even when we struggle! Times may be hard, but it is during these tough times when “God meets our needs — all the time!”
Our WORTH which made people consider us, as a blessing to them, plus the worth of the person/s whose friendship already means something to us, will then be “what we can give” because that’s what we have!
If and only if we will be like that boy who gave without hesitation, our GRANDEST act of kindness would not go unnoticed by the abundance of God’s love. Only if we surrender all of our reservations and trust Jesus that much, God will also multiply a million-folds whatever we have planted today – soon for us to reap! — sunset
Vision it Out w/ Gail S. Montero 