I witnessed an argument between two earnest souls. One had taken the position that Jesus miraculously, creatively produced more bread and fish at the feeding of the 5000. The other took the position that the miracle was the opening of the hearts of those present to share what they had with them as had the little boy with his basket.
I would like to take a third position. What does it matter? The real point is the people were fed. But the arguers were adamant as if they had been there and personally saw what happened. While I tend to lean toward the creation of more bread and fish, I also think changing the hearts of selfish people is a great miracle.
Sometimes we get worked up, generate a lot of heat and hard feelings over issues that really are insignificant. Issues that relate to our salvation – these are what matter. How Jesus did or did not do something has not been shared with us.
I confess that through the years I found myself sucked into meaningless arguments and afterwards I always regretted it. I went away wishing I had not spoken. Silence on issues of which we were not witness to, issues on which God has not given us definitive information, issues that tend to divide us when we really don’t know the actual facts seem to me to be a ploy of Satan to draw our attention away from Jesus and His command to love each other.
I have some young men in my classes that are studying to be pastors and I see the fervor and fire that burns in their hearts. Hopefully they will always use that zeal to lift up Jesus and proclaim Him and only Him to be our savior.