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The First Easter Basket
Rebekah Montgomery
Editor, Right to the Heart of Women
Timidly, the child laid his small woven lunch basket into Jesus’ hands.
Like most children, the little boy liked to help. But could he? Would Jesus be annoyed with him, too?
Earlier, he had overheard the disciples discussing a problem. It seemed that among the entire crowd of people, only the little boy thought to bring his lunch. When Jesus told the disciples to feed the crowd, the boy eagerly offered it. And the disciples scoffed. Would Jesus?
Now Jesus unlatched the basket and looked inside. Nestled together were five barley buns and two fingerling fishes. Jesus grinned, almost laughed aloud. He shook His head. “The faith of a child!”
The boy twisted his stubbed great toe into the sand. Red-hot shame rose to the roots of his hair.
“Come here, lad,” Jesus called to the boy. He stooped low, extending His callused carpenter’s hand. The boy placed his own small one into it. Jesus’ big hand closed over the tiny one, holding it gently, firmly. Jesus looked into the child’s eyes. The little boy knew: his gift was accepted.
Jesus and the disciples gazed up the side of the mountain. Among the rocks, the crowd of about 5,000 men plus women and children were dispersed into little clusters. Children, once with twisted limbs, now danced and played on sound legs. The skin of the lepers was smooth, whole, and restored. The formerly blind were marveling over a world previously seen only through their fingertips.
“Have the people sit on the ground,” Jesus told His disciples.
Quickly, the word spread up the hillside and the crowd eagerly sat, facing Jesus. An expectant hush fell. Perhaps Jesus was going to teach again. Perhaps heal.
Still holding the child’s hand, He looked up into heaven as if He could see the very face of God. “Thank You,” He said simply.
The boy didn’t know if Jesus was thanking God for his lunch or him. Perhaps both.
Then Jesus handed the boy his lunch back. As the boy held his little basket, Jesus reached in and took a barley loaf. He tore a piece and dropped the bit into a nearby basket. Then He tore the loaf again. And again. And again. And again.
Inexplicably, the basket filled. As the torn pieces of bread reached the top of the basket, the silence was so heavy that when Jesus quietly asked for another basket, His voice could be heard to the back edges of the crowd.
His request spurred the stunned disciples to life.
Most Recent User Comments
Eindhoven
4/12/2007 7:56 PM
Be careful of how you define the Word of God Easter may be a misinterpretation since in that time of interpreting christians were as well keeping the pagan holiday. Look at context clues did the disciples from then on in ANY way keep or practice that day. We have the rite of Baptism to celebrate or better put memorize the death and resurrection of Christ because we die to self and arise anew as He did. Anything even tainted with paganism should be shunned we should have nothing to do with them in all our families, we should deal in that which is pure (Phillippians 4:8). I don't think the child was carrying his lunch, think about it 5 loaves and 2 fish? That's a little much for a child don't you think? It is best not to add your thoughts outside of inspiration to the events of the Bible unless it coincides with scripture and can by them be proven.
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Chris Hough
4/7/2007 7:45 AM
I never thought about that story in that manner. When my children and wife get up I need to get them to read it. We do make sure that our kids have always known the true meaning of Easter. I make them tell me each year. We also try to stop what we are doing at 3:00PM and pray, since that is roughly the time that Jesus died for us.
5stone
4/6/2007 8:42 AM
The condition of our hearts does matter BUT obeying God's Word should be our hearts' desire. The verses quoted above regarding not adding to His Word and following His ways are our goal. We can't judge someone else's heart but their actions...like tying a pagan celebration to our Savior. The two don't mix. There are many verses that teach us (by example of OT followers) not to worship God in pagan ways. I encourage the author to research this for herself. While alot of people argue that the word "Easter" is actually in the Word, few people understand that the Easter mentioned in Acts 12:4 is the pagan holiday...not Passover!! The believers weren't celebrating it, the world was. There is so much paganism that has sifted into Christianity today because we are ignorant of history. Check it out for yourself. We're commanded to "test everything" (1 Thess. 5:21). I pray that this causes you to look for yourself and see what is celebrated and why. God bless!!
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