Flourish and Thrive: Taking Action
Today we will be diving into Matthew 14:15-21, Proverbs 11:24
As we become aware of the needs around us, we are called to take action so that we can be a blessing in other people’s lives and also “Flourish & Thrive” in our own lives.
Brothers and sisters, the desire to flourish and thrive and be generous all at the same time is important. But, with just desire alone we CANNOT “flourish” or “thrive”. With just desire alone, It also does not MAKE us generous. If we want to live a generous life and at the same time, flourish and thrive in our own lives, then we must get ACTIVE.
This reminds me of my efforts to become physically fit. When I look in the mirror and see some things I want to change and think, “Maybe I want to build abs!” That is a great first step! But if all I ever do is look in the mirror and think about it or desire it and I never change my diet or go to the gym, then I am not going to become a healthy person or have abs.
In order to drop the extra pounds I am carrying around, I must move from desire to action. I must track my calorie intake, set aside time for the gym, and make sure it gets into my calendar. The same thing is true with generosity. If we want to become generous people, then we must do generous things and we must do them on purpose.
So, here is my question for you:
What are you doing to be generous so you can flourish in your own life?
What are you going to do today that blesses another person?
Once we move from a desire to be generous to actually being generous, something amazing happens. We will start to see opportunities everywhere. It seems so simple, doesn't it?
Generous people do generous things.
So, why is it then, that so many of us desire to be generous, but so few of us are actually living out that generosity in the world?
There is a story in the gospels that I know will help us answer this question.
Matthew chapter 14:15-21:
(v.15) As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said,
“This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late.
Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.”
(v.16) Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”
(v.17) “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered.
(v.18) “Bring them here to me,” he said.
The passage tells us there were five thousand men present, but this does not include women and children, which means the number was probably closer to 20,000 or so. It is a big crowd of people.
As it starts to get late in the day, the disciples come to Jesus with a problem. They notice it is starting to get dark and the people have not eaten dinner. The disciples are concerned that if the people are not sent home to get dinner, they will be forced to travel at night.
When the disciples come to Jesus with a problem, Jesus responds by telling them to solve it. He puts the responsibility back on the disciples. And the disciples respond exactly how we would probably respond in the same situation:
“We only have 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish.”
When Jesus puts the responsibility back on the disciples, their first response is to make sure he understands their limitations. They are talking about loaves and fish in this story, but really what they are saying is, “We don't have enough.”
Have you ever felt this way?
You see a conflict in the world, you see a need in your neighborhood, you identify an opportunity to be generous, and what is the first thought that comes into your mind?
“I don't have enough!”
“I don't have enough time!”
“I don't have enough money!”
“I don't have enough education!”
We identify opportunities to be generous, and then we allow our limitations to keep us from action.
This is the answer to the question I asked earlier.
Why does our desire to be generous not translate into actual generosity? I believe the real reason is because we allow our limitations to stop us.
In this situation, Jesus does not say to disciples,“You're right I guess, there's too many people and not enough food.” Instead, He gives them a very specific instruction on the loaves and fish, He says, “Bring them here to me.”
They have 5 loaves of bread, and 2 fish; this is all they have to feed a crowd of almost 20,000 people. The disciples are not wrong in their assessment of the situation. They do not have enough food for 20,000 people, but the mistake the disciples make is looking at their limitations instead of looking to the Lord. They are so focused on what they do not have, they failed to see what they DID have.
And what do they have? They have Jesus sitting there with them.
Look at what happens when the disciples look past their limitations and bring what they have to Jesus
In verse 19 it says:
(v.19) And he directed the people to sit down on the grass.
Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves.
Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.
(v.20) They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.
(v.21) The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.
Isn't this amazing? Something amazing happens here! Jesus does what the disciples could never do on their own, but He does not do it until the disciples take a step of action.
Is it possible Jesus wants to take our effort and multiply it in ways far beyond what we could ever imagine? Is it possible Jesus also wants to do all of these things in your life? To multiply what you have but He is waiting on us to take the first step?
God is waiting on His people to move from just a DESIRE, to ACTION. When we take a step toward generosity, God will multiply our efforts.
If I was going to put this into a formula, it might look something like this: What We Have + Who God is = ENOUGH.
It really is this simple. If we have the faith to look past our limitations and bring what we have to God, He will use our generosity to change the lives of other people. This type of faithful generosity changes our lives as well. Not only does it help us “flourish and thrive” spiritually, but it also brings us closer to the heart of God and even helps us physically. We thrive when we turn over our small contributions to God.
Surrender is not about loss; it’s about transformation.
Jesus asked the disciples to bring the limited food to Him. This act symbolizes surrender and faith.
Brothers and sisters,
What "loaves and fish" do we have in our lives that we can bring to Jesus?
This can be anything from our time, talents, or resources.
And notice that before distributing the food, Jesus gave thanks. This act highlights the power of gratitude in our actions. Thankfulness is crucial in cultivating a flourishing life. It shifts our perspective from LACKING to ABUNDANCE.
So here is the million dollar question: How do we do it?
How do we move from a desire for generosity to active generosity? There are multiple answers to that question, but today I want to share one action step with you. You will see God move in powerful ways. If you want to activate your generosity, start today. TAKE ACTION.
It does not have to be BIG. Start small, take baby steps.
Proverbs 11:24 says,
(v.24) One person gives freely, yet gains even more;
another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.
God is waiting on you.
All you have to do is take action. Do something.
One In Christ - Pastor Vameng Pha
January 19, 2025