There’s an interesting interaction in Mark 8 between the Savior and His disciples. He has just finished feeding the 4,000 with 7 loaves of bread and a few fish. Previously, they witnessed Him feed 5,000 with just a few loaves and fishes as well. In each instance, there was not just enough to satisfy every person’s hunger, there was an abundance left over, gathered in baskets for all to see. Their question before each experience was similar, “how can we possibly feed so many out here in the middle of nowhere? How can we feed so many with so little?”
This time, after witnessing the miraculous power of the Master, they get into a boat, but forget to bring bread with them to eat so that they only have 1 loaf onboard to feed them all. Jesus begins to teach them to ‘beware of the leaven of the Pharisees’ (Mark 8:15-an interesting lesson about not letting the worldly or self-aggrandizing principles espoused by the pharisees to grow in them) and they start worrying that it is because they forgot to bring bread. Jesus learns of these thoughts and asks them how they can possibly think that this is about the bread after all they have witnessed.
You can almost hear Him saying, “I have shown you over and over what I can do. How can you not see? How can you fail to remember the abundance that was left from a few paltry loaves and thousands to feed?” “It’s not about the bread!”
So often when faced with challenging circumstances our focus is on the bread-it’s on what we lack or what is missing, what the obstacle seems to be and how small we are in comparison. The Savior wants to help us understand that it is not about the bread, not about our lack or our weakness, not about the impossibility of the problem or the insurmountability of the task. It is about faith in Him. It is about bringing whatever we have to Him and trusting that He can make whatever that is enough for the challenge, with abundance to spare-because He is not smaller than the obstacle and His power is not insufficient for anything we face.
When Peter desired to walk on the water, he was able to do so as long as his focus remained on Jesus. When that focus wavered and he focused on the storm, he began to sink. The Savior’s response to him was a different take on the same questions He had for them about the bread, “where is your faith?” When our vision turns to the storm or the inadequate amount of bread our fears or doubts loom so large it is hard to see anything else. Faith is really focus on the Savior-remembering the good He desires for us, calling upon His power in our lives, recognizing the growth He is encouraging in us, and trusting in His ability to make all things work together for our good.
President Nelson in conference said, “the answer to each of your challenges is to increase your faith” (‘Christ is Risen; Faith in Him Will Move Mountains.’ Gen. Conf. April 2021) Not because it will make them go away or make them somehow easy, but because when our focus is on the Savior, when we truly trust in His power to help and guide and heal and increase us, we know that He can make us able (no matter how little we have to bring) to do whatever is required throughout any challenge or problem and bless us with abundance in the process.
So, how can we possibly face that problem or overcome that obstacle when we have so little?
Let His doctrine, His ministry and His mission be the leaven that grows in us.
Remember, it’s not about the bread. It’s about Him.
