I’ve been grinding up barley recently. I mix the ground barley together with ground brown rice and use it to make a porridge for my lunches. (4 cups chicken stock / 1 cup ground grains)
The last time I ground barley was to make barley biscuits. I had been thinking about when Jesus multiplied the little boy’s lunch to feed 5,000 men, plus women and children (possibly 10,000+ people!) I was curious what a “small barley loaf” might taste like. So, I ground up barley and substituted it in place of the flour in my biscuit recipe.
A barley biscuit is very dense and heavy!
Not only that, barley can easily play havoc with your digestive system.
I can’t help but think of Ruth and Naomi (from the book of Ruth in the Bible) and how Ruth was gleaning during the barley harvest. Ruth probably made barley loaves of bread … and maybe even barley porridge (like me).
It has given me an entirely new appreciation for Jesus’s miracle of turning the 5 small barley loaves and two fish into enough food for possibly 10,000+ people. Jesus cared about what he gave the people to eat. It was important that it was nutritious.
This thought has never before occurred to me … that Jesus actually cared about the nutritional value of what he fed the people to eat that day.
The barley bread was not only super nutritious … but likewise super healthy for everyone’s digestive systems. Jesus didn’t just simply make their hunger go away. He gave them nutrition and dietary health.
This miracle of Jesus is recorded in all four Gospels.
The 12 Disciples had just been out in ministry teams of 2, preaching about the Kingdom of God. Jesus had given them power to cast out demons, and power to heal every disease and sickness.
During this time that they were out in ministry teams, Herod beheaded John the Baptist.
The 12 Disciples returned after ministry tour, and they had a lot to mentally process. The Bible records that they cast out many demons. No doubt these encounters were intense! To have power over demons … that’s some serious power! No doubt they had a lot to mentally process!
The Bible records that they had been given the power to raise the dead. Bringing someone back to life from the dead is some serious power! How do you even process bringing someone back to life again??
Jesus gave them power over every disease and sickness … that’s some serious power! No doubt the adoration and praise coming from people would have been a lot. No doubt the temptation of pride was creeping in at the corners of their minds.
Then, mingled in with all these confusing conflicting emotions was the grief over the death of John the Baptist.
Overall, the 12 Disciples had a lot to mentally process. They were probably exhausted … physically, mentally, emotionally. The temptation for arrogance, bragging, and boasting was no doubt enormous. While at the same time they probably were feeling some overwhelm and incredulity.
Jesus had them withdraw to a solitary place, to rest and mentally process.
Even today, when God chooses to do great things through our own lives … it’s important to have time of solitude and stillness with God so that we can mentally process.
But … the 12 Disciples didn’t get a chance to have solitude and stillness with Jesus to mentally process. They were immediately thrown into a situation of even more ministry needs! The stress and pressure of crowds … upwards of 10,000+ people! Sick people needed healing! Hungry people had no food.
It was here … at this point … that Jesus performed one of his greatest miracles – turning the 5 little barley loves and 2 fish into enough food to feed all the people. Can you imagine the disciples as they distributed the food to the hungry people … everyone all abuzz with delight and amazement! Can you just imagine deep-down pride starting to grow … as the crowds responded with praise and adoration!
Today’s blog topic is: Love does not boast or brag.
The 12 Disciples could have had every reason to brag and boast in this situation! They had just come off a ministry tour with power to raise the dead and power over demons! The crowd of 10,000+ people had just been fed from their hands. They had passed out the food. Of course, some bragging and boasting would have been a natural reaction.
The little boy who gave his lunch to Jesus could have had every reason to brag and boast.
The fish had been caught by someone … possibly the little boy’s father? So, the father of the little boy could have had every reason to brag and boast. All those people were fed with the fish he had labored hard to provide.
The loaves of barley bread were prepared by someone … possibly the little boy’s mother? So, the mother of the little boy could have had every reason to brag and boast. All those people were fed with the bread she had labored hard to prepare.
Love does not boast or brag.
Love recognizes that we all have our part. We all have our own special important part in the work God is doing.
Love does not boast or brag.
After feeding of the crowd, Jesus immediately had the disciples get into a boat and he sent them away. I can’t help but think Jesus was protecting them from bragging and boasting … because by immediately removing the disciples from their adoring fans, Jesus was removing them from the temptation of getting a “big head.”
And from here, the disciples found themselves in a terrible storm all night long! A storm so frightening and terrifying they thought they were going to drown. I can’t help but think the storm was sent (in part) to help rid pride, boasting and bragging from their hearts and minds.
The storm humbled them. The storm showed them that they “weren’t all that” … as they might have been thinking. The storm effectively dealt with any pride, arrogance, bragging, or boasting.
It is the same when it comes to our own lives. God calls us to love and help other people. And sometimes God does great things through us, for his glory and praise.
Likewise … God also sends us (just like he did the disciples) into “storms” to keep us humble. God allows us to go through “storms” to remove pride from our hearts and minds. The “storms” show us we “aren’t all that” like we think we are. The “storms” remove bragging or boasting from our life.
Love does not boast or brag.
As God works to develop his character in our life, he will remove bragging and boasting from our life … most often, through “storms.”
