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Adding Up

  • April 27, 2016
  • Posted by: Carolyn Mahal
  • Category: Devotions
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Life is filled with many interesting ironies.  Many things which seem to be straightforward and structured can at the same time be vague and open to interpretation.  Now let’s be clear – I am not talking about an oxymoron like “jumbo shrimp” or “honest politician.”  I am talking about things which are simultaneously rigid and fluid.

Math can be one of those things.  As a science, math is filled with formulas and truths that are constant and non-negotiable.  2+2 must always equal 4;  and so on.  But while the answers to these types of equations are always true, the meaning behind the numbers can change as easily as the direction of the wind.  People will often tell you that data doesn’t lie, but haven’t you also heard that statistics can be used to prove or disprove anything?  Formulas will clearly dictate the rationales for prices to go up or down, except for gas prices which always seem to go up (especially on holiday weekends).  Of course, this trend often gets blamed upon what people call “New Math;” a series of new teaching strategies that provide differentiated approaches for children while at the same time manage to confuse the life out of adults who learned math in the dark ages when there was only one way to do it.

See – Simple!

I guess the lesson learned here is that sometimes even the basic rules of mathematics don’t always hold true.  Jesus Himself provides this lesson for his disciples, along with a great many other people in John 6.  A great crowd of people followed Jesus to a remote location.  It grew late in the day and so Jesus asked his disciple Philip how he planned to help the people buy food.  Philip and the other disciples went into a mild panic as they computed just how expensive paying for a meal of this size would be.  Another of the disciples, Andrew, brought forward a boy who was smart enough to pack a lunch but foolish enough not to hide it (ever wonder what that kid was thinking when it looked like he was going to lose his food?).  So here’s Andrew, giving away a kid’s lunch in a feeble attempt to feed a mob without spending any money.  Now I’m not saying the disciples were completely devoid of math skills, in fact I totally believe they all quickly figured out that as outnumbered as they were, each of them would need to outrun about 416 people to escape!

Of course, Jesus wasn’t worried.  He knew all along that He was going to provide for the needs of the 5,000 men and the additional women and children who were present.  The loaves and the fish provided a basis for giving thanks as Jesus miraculously provided enough food to satisfy the needs of all of the people with an overabundance to spare.  Jesus accomplished what mathematics (and the world) declared impossible, and not only when it comes to providing a meal.

We are born sinful.  It penetrates every facet of our lives and causes us not only suffering but it separates us from our place with God.  But out of love, Jesus did the impossible.  He lived a life without sin, earning what none of us could ever earn.  But it didn’t stop there.  Despite living without sin, Jesus still faced death on Calvary’s cross.  Three days later, He declared victory over death by rising again for us.  For you.  For me.  For a boy who shared his lunch and even for a guy who convinced him to “share” it.  He even rose to save those guys who invented the New Math and are constantly raising our gas prices.  That’s love – and it all adds up.

Devotion by Richard Schumacher

LSEM Director of Programs & Services