Christ's direction was, "How many loaves have ye?" And of this sentence it has been strikingly observed that it is characteristic of the way in which all Christ's nature was wont to move together at once. Christ felt and thought, pitied and weighed, at the same moment. He never did mischief by His benevolence, because His judgment was behind it. The direction of the text is luminous with important principles for the duty we are thinking of today.
I. First, there is the instinct of sacrifice. These loaves were what the disciples had brought for their own use a frugal, sparse, and homely provision. What they were invited to give away they had the right, not unreasonably, to reserve for themselves. "Not so," said the Lord. "It is yours to share with them." Does any ask when the kingdom of Christ will really begin to grow? Only when the Church becomes capable of sacrifices worthy of herself and her Lord.
II. Another principle involved in our Lord's words is the duty of economy. Economy is patent everywhere in the dominion of nature, and it is to be a ruling principle in the activities of grace. Eminently it guided our Lord in the exercise of His supernatural power.
III. This sentence also contains the law of continuity, full of help and guidance for the Church of God. We are not isolated, broken units: we are members of a great body, some of whom are in earth, some in heaven, all of whom must overcome by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, not loving their lives unto the death.
IV. Once more we see the beginning of faith. All great undertakings have grown out of tiny beginnings grown often to the unspeakable surprise of those who first took them in hand. In fact, there are four stages in the history of mission work contempt, persecution, acquiescence, triumph; and we are now in the third. Our duty is to obey our Master's orders, leaving the result with Him. As we obey our efforts are blessed, our provision is multiplied, we find ourselves fellow-workers with God; the starving multitudes are nourished and satisfied with the bread of life. Only let us see what God asks of us, and what mankind need of us; what the Church claims, and what the Advent will discover; and then, out of the touched and listening hearts of stirred thousands, rivers of water will flow, to give life to the world.
Bishop Thorold, Family Churchman,Feb. 23rd, 1887.