Standing in his doorway, I see the feet that I used to hold in my hand dangling off the end of his bed. Those soft cheeks that used to snuggle in the crook of my neck now have remnants of a five o’clock shadow. I remember him riding his red tricycle down the driveway, now he drives away in his own car. It all happened so fast!

He is our oldest. As he enters the final stretch at home, I find myself doubting if I have taught him enough. Have I spent enough time with him? Have I instilled the values that I hope he walks out in his own life?

I measure myself as a mom against a fictitious woman who I think is doing everything right.  Somewhere in my head she criticizes me and points out each mistake and every moment that I wish had happened differently. I find myself exhausted under the pressure of my own expectations and my perceived expectations of others.

You don’t have to be a mom to know what that tension feels like. It can be a heavy weight to carry. If we are honest, I think most of us have felt that way.

We look at social media pages and think that the lives we see are perfect. Happy family photos, awesome vacations and a clean house. We compare ourselves to the highlight reels of people’s lives.

Too many times we bring ourselves to relationships or friendships wondering if we are enough, or have enough to give. I wonder if, at times, we perceive our relationship with Jesus the same way. What if it’s not about us being enough for Jesus?

What if it’s about what Jesus can do with what we bring Him?

We see this displayed in John chapter 6.  People had heard that Jesus healed the sick and a lot of people were following him. Jesus took his disciples and went up to a mountainside to sit with them. The crowd followed.

“When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, He said to Philip, “where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” He asked this only to test him, for He already had in mind what He was going to do. Philip answered Him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”

Another of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother spoke up, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there.”

Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. When they had all had enough to eat, He said to His disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves.” John 6:5-13

There are so many lessons in this that we don’t want to miss.

Jesus used a child to do this miracle. Children were not valued in that culture and were often overlooked. Women and children were not even counted in the 5000. Yet the child offered Jesus what he had.

If Andrew had come up to me and asked for my lunch I would have told him, “I don’t have enough, you should ask someone else.”

We think of him having two fish like he had yummy Sushi in his lunch but it was actually fish jelly or fish paste, not exactly tasty. Not only did he not have enough for 5000 people, what he had to offer was not high quality.

What keeps us from having the courage of the little boy? Why don’t we allow ourselves to be seen even when we feel that our little is not enough?

Jesus doesn’t see the lack, He sees opportunity.

Sometimes we have to remind ourselves that what we bring is enough because Jesus is enough. Give it all to him and watch what He can do.

The little boy came prepared with what he had, gave it to Jesus, & you know what he did next? We don’t know because the little boy is not mentioned again.

The lesson I see is the little boy got out of the way.

The little boy gave what he had to Jesus and then Jesus gave the next direction.  “Have the people sit down.”

Don’t miss this very important point. Who gave the next direction? Jesus

Did you notice the boy didn’t try to tell Jesus what to do with his lunch? Do you ever find yourself trying to maintain control? Have you ever tried to tell God what to do with what you gave Him? 

I tend to give it to Him and then provide instruction on what I want Him to do with it. If I were that little boy, I would have been like, “Ok Jesus, cut the bread here, here and here, and only spread the fish this way. “ No matter how we try, we can never make that amount serve five thousand people.

But He can. God only needs a little to do a lot.

Come prepared, bring Him what you have and trust Him with it. What is it that you feel you do not have enough of? Is it courage, time or faith? Is it patience, money, education or energy?

I want to encourage you to be brave in offering what you have to God.

He is the God of creation who can speak something from nothing. He has all the resources we need.

Ask God, “What can you do with this?”  You will find that He uses ordinary things. Nothing is too small for God to use. Don’t hide it. Offer it!

Sometimes as a mom or a woman we feel that no one sees our value. It is a real tragedy is when we don’t see the value in ourselves.

When you look into the mirror what do you see?

You are made in God’s image. You are amazing, no matter what your past looks like. Even if you yelled at your kids this morning or got fired from your job last week, YOU are made in God’s image and you have so much value. God values you so much that He sent His Son to die for YOU.

Jesus doesn’t see lack, He sees opportunity. Trust Him with what you have and get out of the way.

When I look at my son and I begin to worry if I have given him enough or been enough for Him. Those times when we feel like we are not enough, remember that God is more than enough!

The times when you begin to compare yourself to that fictitious character who you think is doing everything right. Those moments when you criticize yourself and begin to focus on every mistake you have made.

RECLAIM THOSE THOUGHTS.

I want to remind you how Jesus- Savior of the world, the Son of God, how He sees you. It’s as simple as your ABC’s.  This is who you are and this is what Jesus sings over you… https://youtu.be/hkrkev9eVI4

Read More Articles From Reclaimed Story