The Giver

Mark 8:6  And he commanded the crowd to sit down on the ground; and he took the seven loaves, and having given thanks he broke them and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; and they set them before the crowd.


He gives and gives and gives. That is Jesus nature, that is the nature of God the creator and sustainer of the whole creation. The gospel accounts of Jesus life show a man who had a singular focus, to reveal the will of God for people. He spoke continually about the need for us to care for one another and he showed that kind of caring for people he came in contact with on his journey. His feeding episodes are just a profound example of his normal attitude. I don't find situations where he is asking for things for himself. I know people did things for him, but I don't hear him seeking special care from others. 


I can think of no single focus I need more to emulate Jesus than to main my focus on the needs of others. And yet we live in the most exaggerated me first generation of all time. Over and over you here that common phrase, "What's in it for me?". The solution to every problem is to provide more and more excess for people who need for nothing. People declare loudly that they are not Jesus and will never be Jesus but often that means they minimize any effort to emulate him. Just fail to be like him and continue to seek forgiveness in a ho hum matter of fact surrender to a self-centered life.


It is that unconditional aspect of God's giving that is our challenge. We are not asked to provide for those who deserve it, that is not God's standard. We are called to act like God and provide for others like God provides for us.