“But my dear - the bible is quite clear ‘Do not fear’ - That’s what God says my dear, do not fear’
Eleven years earlier when Judith had fallen in love with and married Reuben, one of the things that had attracted her to Reuben was his faith - that and his stunning good looks. Judith had so admired the strength of his convictions. He came from Baal- Shalishah. The town’s name said it all. A place where people wore their faith so lightly that they were happy to call their town after a pagan deity. BAAL shalishah.
But Reuben wasn’t like that. Aged 17 he had had a profound religious experience that had led him to become a devoted follower of the God of Abraham. “God rescued me” he had told her - "Just like God rescued our ancestors when he brought them out of Egypt and fed them with Manna in the wilderness." He had been a man of principle … when so many of the boys of his age had seemed to be after just one thing.
But now they were arguing.
“It’s all very well you and your God” she shouted at him - “But will that put food on the table? There’s famine in the land. We are so lucky that are farm has produced some crops. Down the road at Eliphaz’s homestead - there youngest died last week from lack of food. We can’t go giving away what little we have. We have six young mouths to feed in this family Reuben. Do you want one of our babies to die because you’ve done what your God says? None of the other families are giving their first fruits to God and his servant Elisha.
“Judith darling. It’s not like that - if we don’t give what the bible says we should give to God we are robbing God. These first fruits that we have - these twenty loaves of Barley and fresh ears of grain - where do you think they come from? God made them grow. There is famine in the land - yet God gave us these first fruits. And Judith my dear - he also told us “Do not fear”
“If we keep these few loaves of Barley and ears of grain for ourselves - it’s like holding a little bird so tightly in your hand that you crush it to death. The bible says take your first fruits and give them to the Lord. If we don’t trust God and take our first fruits and give them to Elisha the man of God- what will happen next? Twenty loaves of Barley won’t feed us for a fortnight. Then what? Do we expect God to give us more when we have robbed God?
Eventually she gave in. They would probably die anyway - what was the point of arguing over a few loaves. Let Reuben die happy.
So they packed their bags, and the kids, and set off for Gilgal - the Shrine of Elisha the man of God. On the way they met travelers who told them tales - of how Elisha had found a starving widow who was about to have to sell her children into slavery. How he had told her to borrow empty jars from all her friends - and he told her to take her tiny jar of olive oil - a jar that would have fed her for a couple of days at most - pour that tiny jar into your neighbours' jars. She had done so and jar had kept pouring until every vessel in the village was full. And the sold oil had paid all her debts and fed her family. Had she kept that oil to herself then like the bird held so tightly in the hand that it is crushed, she would have died - but she trusted God and his servant the Man of God with it - and there was more than enough. “See” said Reuben to Judith “We mustn’t rob God of what the bible says we should give him”
Other travellers told of how a bunch starving prophets had made a stew out of herbs - which turned out to be poisonous herbs. But Elisha, the man of God, had thrown a touch of flour in and done his miracles - and the stew was fine to eat. “See” said Reuben to Judith, “death can be staring us in the face, but when God is here, do not fear”
And so they reached Gilgal. There were lots of people there but no one else seemed to be bringing offerings. There were children with swolen bellies. Old men with bones showing. There must have been a hundred people there. All starving.
Judith and Reuben took their offering - the first fruits that had grown on their farm that year - twenty small loaves of barley and and some fresh ears of grain in a sack and they gave them to the Man of God’s servant. They saw the relief on his eyes - it would be a meal for him and his master. The servant took the sack to Elisha -and the Man of God said “Give it to the people and let them eat” “How can I set this before 100 people?” “Give it to the people and let them eat for thus says the lord “They shall eat and have some left”. Judith was amused - the servant was number two at the Shrine and he seemed to have less faith than her unimportant husband. But the servant eventually did what he was told.
So the servant began to take loaves out of the sack and give them to the crowd. And for every loaf he pulled from the sack there was another one - until every one was fed and the sack was still not empty.
And just that moment the rain began to fall - “See” said Reuben to his wife “we’ll have a good crop this year”
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Seven hundred years later…
“What’s that? Is it a ghost” The disciples trembled. There was something on the water. A blurry figure. Walking on the water. Were they going to drown in the storm?
“Do not fear” said the reassuring voice - the figure walking on the water was the one they loved. Jesus.
And as he sat in the boat and Jesus climbed in, Philip felt guilty. Only a few hours earlier what had he done but show fear? On the other side of the lake where they had just come from there had been a huge crowd. Jesus had taught them and then it was late. And the people were hungry. It wasn’t like in the wilderness and people had been literally starving and God had given Moses Manna, bread from heaven. It wasn’t even like that time with Elisha when there was famine in the land and he fed a hundred people. No one was going to die here.
“Be realistic Jesus. Send them away. Where are we to buy food for these people to eat. Six months wages would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little”
At the time Philip and the others were thinking “We’ve given our time to following you. You can’t expect us to give our money too.” But that guilty line came through from the prophet Malachi - about giving your tithe - 10% of your income to God - and if you don’t you are robbing God. Philip and the other 11 had stood there keeping their wallets firmly in their trousers. Fear seems a strong word. It’s not that they didn’t love God - but trusting him with their money when they had so little. Why if they hadn’t been following Jesus these last few months they could have earnt more. Surely giving time counted instead of giving a tithe? Didn't it? Didn’t it? Yet fear probably did sum it up. They were afraid of losing money. As Jesus climbed into the boat saying “It is I, do not be afraid” - Philip reflected on fear so often stopped him doing the right thing.
And he thought back at what had happened next “Six months wags would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little” - and then there is this little boy whispering in Andrew’s ear - and Andrew brings him forward. And the boy - he must be five or six - offers Jesus his lunch box. His parents had clearly told the boy to be generous and share. There was more than enough for his own lunch. Five loaves and two fishes. Why, that would feed another couple of little boys or girls as well. But looking round Philip had seen... well there must have been... 5000 people - what was that among so many?
And then Jesus puts their fear to shame. He takes the loaves. Gives thanks. Breaks them. And gives them out. And they don’t run out. Grown men too afraid to give a tithe of their wages. And a little boy takes God seriously and offers his packed lunch. And five thousand people are fed.
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Two thousand years later.
Eve - a young woman I know in her early twenties returns to her church. Eve has spent two weeks in Malawi. And now she is standing up in front of her congregation to talk about the experience. On the screens at the front are photos of the trip. The Malawian church is pretty ramshackle - none of the fine architecture that we have here at St Barnabas. Just a wooden and corragated iron shack that the congregation have put together. There’s photos of people dancing and praising God. The people in Malawi clearly know how to worship.
And then there is perhaps the most moving photo of all. I still remember seeing it. A pile of sacks of grain.”This is their tithe” explains Eve to us. “They all give ten percent of what they earn, just like the bible says - except that most of them don’t have money. So they give ten per cent of their crops”
You can feel the uncomfortable feel in the audience. Everyone has been enjoying the talk so far. After all it was like seeing someone’s holiday snaps. Until now. Here are Christians in Malawi who have nothing. And yet they take seriously what the Prophet Malachi says about not robbing God and giving a tenth of all they earn - or in this case grow.
And the audience are sitting round thinking “That’s so inspiring. But… but… how can I do that… I’ve got to pay… I’ve got that bill… I’ve got…”
And in another land, long long ago, Reuben turns to his wife.
“But my dear - the bible is quite clear ‘Do not fear’ - That’s what God says my dear, do not fear’
