Feeding the 5,000....instead of hiding in the bathroom....

This morning, I was reading a Bible story to the younger sweet savages. I've read this story probably hundreds of times, but today was different. Images of parenthood and how Jesus was teaching us moms through this story leaped out at me for the first time. Here is the excerpt that I learned from: Matthew 14:13-21, and the feeding of the 5,000.

 13Now when Jesus heard about John, He withdrew from there in a boat to a secluded place by Himself; and when the people heard of this, they followed Him on foot from the cities. 14When He went ashore, He saw a large crowd, and felt compassion for them and healed their sick.

      15When it was evening, the disciples came to Him and said, “This place is desolate and the hour is already late; so send the crowds away, that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” 16But Jesus said to them, “They do not need to go away; you give them something to eat!” 17They said to Him, “We have here only five loaves and two fish.” 18And He said, “Bring them here to Me.” 19Ordering the people to sit down on the grass, He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up toward heaven, He blessed the food, and breaking the loaves He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds, 20and they all ate and were satisfied. They picked up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve full baskets. 21There were about five thousand men who ate, besides women and children.

Some background.  John the Baptist was just beheaded.  Jesus loved John and was upset about this, so verse 13 explains that when he heard this he wanted to be alone for a while.  (Understandable, right?)    How often to we, moms, feel overwhelmed and feel like we just need to go to a solitary place.  So we run to the bathroom to hide. Surely, the crowds won't bother us there.  Well...wrong.  It says the "crowds followed Him."   (Can you relate yet?)

In verse 14 it doesn't say he got frustrated and yelled at them saying, "I just need ME time, go away!"  Nope..it says (even in his grief and NEEDING to be alone) He "had compassion on them."  Not only did he not yell at them or throw a tantrum, but he went above and beyond and showed love by "healing their sick."   If He was a mama, it would look like this:  He was headed to the bathroom for some solitary time, but the kids ran after him needing a drink of water, help with a math problem, help buttoning up pants, needing a coloring page printed on the computer....so He had compassion on them and patiently met all their needs, not even frustrated that His own weren't being met.

It seems He met their needs all day cause in v 15 it says it was evening now.  Surely Jesus had gone above and beyond showing love.  It was reasonable that the disciples would tell Him that it was time to send them home so they could go feed themselves. It wasn't a selfish request since there was no food there to feed them all.   Jesus, not thinking of His needs, but wanting to love these people decided to keep meeting their needs....by taking 5 loaves and 2 fish and feeding thousands of needy children  people.   No doubt, all through this day, He was not living by His fleshly, selfish desires but pouring Himself out with the strength that was given to Him by his Father.      He not only met their basic needs but gave them even more food than they needed.  (Going above and beyond what even the people expected.)   The people ate "and were satisfied."

There are plenty of articles out there encouraging us moms to have "me time."  And to "take care of yourself so you can take care of others."      I'm not saying to never do that, but another article about that is not what we need.  We need to understand how to NOT rely on our own strength in the midst of the demands of the "multitudes,"  to learn that we CAN keep going if we allow God's strength to work IN us, and that we can meet all the needs that our family requires, patiently and unfrustrated because in Christ we have all the fruit of the Spirit at are disposal: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Gentleness, Goodness, Kindness, Faithfulness, and Self Control. (Galatians 5).

So, if you are a bathroom-hiding, frustrated, feeling-overwhelmed mama, then I thought this well-known story might show you that Jesus is the perfect example of a godly parent.    Follow His example and let God's nature overwhelm you as you love those needy little-people and show them God's love through your life.