12 Baskets of Brokenness

Anyone that is a Christian is familiar with the story of the five loaves and two fish that fed five thousand.

And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up toward heaven, He blessed the food and broke the loaves, and He kept giving them to the disciples to set before them; and He divided up the two fish among them all. ~ Mark 6:41

When you read through the gospel retelling of the story. Every version includes the five loaves, two fish, and a mass feeding. There is one small, yet important detail that is not remembered or discussed further. After everyone has their fill of food, the disciples collect the scraps into baskets. Filling twelve baskets full or broken and fragmented pieces.

Coincidence that it is twelve baskets that were filled? Not likely as the number twelve appears throughout the Bible 187 times. It is the number twelve that is associated with the anointed, the disciples, the tribes and more. Moreover than the twelve baskets is the broken and fragmented pieces that filled them. It is what happened after the five thousand were fed that we should focus on.

After the scraps had been gathered, the disciples continued to feed people along their path. We as Christians are the broken fragments that filled the baskets. It is through our brokenness that we feed other peoples' spirits. We, through the great commission, are called to make disciples of Jesus Christ. Disciples, by sharing the good news through our testimony and brokenness.

As disciples, we share the way Jesus has worked through our lives and saved us. It is in sharing of our story or testimony that we may be the light in other peoples' darkness. As we share, we can bring nonbelievers to the cross as we carry our own cross. Our broken and fragmented lives feed into those that are hungry. Through the power of the Holy Spirit that Jesus left behind, we can be the light.

Five fish and two loaves turned into the feeding of thousands across generations. Not only were the five thousand fed by the disciples with Jesus, but we continue to share the same bread and fish. Our lives represent the fragments left in the baskets. It is through our works for our neighbor that we continue to spread the Good News.

If you want love, then give love! If you want hope, then give hope to others! If you want friends, then be a friend! When servants of God serve one another, we all receive God's abundance and blessings. We are each called to feed His people, clothe his people and give them shelter. Serving through our brokenness allows others to see God's goodness in us.