Luke 9:14-16 (ESV)
[14] For there were about five
thousand men. And he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of
about fifty each.” [15] And they did so, and had them all sit down. [16] And
taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a
blessing over them. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to
set before the crowd.
The disciples had just come back
from a whirlwind tour during which they preached, taught, healed, and cast out
demons. They were no longer just disciples. They were teachers and healers. So
what do we find them doing in these verses? Passing out food and collecting the
leftovers. That’s the servants’ job. That’s menial labor. That’s not what the
teacher does. Yet that is exactly what they did.
In this account there is no
record of unbelief on their part. There is no record of grumbling or
complaining. They did what they were instructed to do. Jesus had taught them
that hearing and obeying was the solid foundation upon which to build their
lives. That is what they did.
There is a lesson here for us,
particularly for those of us in vocational ministry. We are never too important
to get our hands dirty. We are never too significant to serve tables. Peter
would later write, “Shepherd
the flock of God that is among you, . . . not domineering over those in your
charge, but being examples to the flock” (1Pet 5:2-3).
When those of us in the so-called
highest positions are unwilling to serve in the lowest positions we have failed
as leaders. We need to be as ready and willing to wait tables and clean toilets
as we are to preach. That is real leadership.
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