John 6:7

“What?” responds Phillip. He is not aware of Jesus’ reason for asking him such a question. “I figure if I had all my wages for the past eight months I would still come up short.  And by short I mean I would barely have enough to buy bread to have everyone have a measly bite, certainly not enough to feed them a reasonable meal.”  John 6:7 EFP

True to his personality, Phillip does not waver.  He gives Jesus an answer.  He is resourceful and ever-ready to seek a solution.  “Tall order, Jesus.  But here is my assessment.”  He does the math and figures out the minimum amount needed to fit the situation.  Isn’t that just like us?  Isn’t that like me?

Remember, Jesus already knows what he was going to do.  This is a test.  Phillip challenges the test and comes up with the best solution based on his ability.  He does not consider Jesus’ ability to solve the dilemma to a degree he can even imagine.  Perhaps Phillip’s answer should have been, “What do you think, Jesus?”  But how many time have I “solved” a problem by simply taking it on, rather than by pausing to ask God for some clarity.  My solution might suffice, but I miss out on God’s perspective.  This is a hard lesson for me to learn.  I am a problem-solver.  I deal with crisis most every day—other people’s crises.  But when it comes to my life, I need to learn to be less self-sufficient and to resort to the power of prayer to tap in to a source of strength and insight infinitely greater than my own. “Do you have any ideas, God?  I’m stumped!”  That is the best place to start.