Jesus and Math

Ok, I really stink with math. So, I do not claim to do well. Dyslexia has prevented me from being a math wiz. So, I suppose Jesus concept of math is good for me.

At Youth for Christ we are building a home for students in the foster care system, and we are doing it in an economically depressed season. Monthly income does not equal monthly expense right now. The need, however, only increases. Do you do nothing and wait out the storm or do you go and address the need?

Well, we have decided to address the need by building the house, hiring house parents and drawing on the reserves.

Needless to say this has caused some moments of doubt for me.

This morning I was reading Matthew 16:5-12. Jesus just fed 4,000 folks not counting women and children from 7 loaves of bread and a few small fish. Jesus sends the 12 across the lake and they forgot to bring bread. Jesus begins to instruct them to watch out for the "leaven" of the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the 12 start discussing whether or not Jesus was saying this because of their lack of bread or not. Jesus then pipes up, aware of their discussion, and asks them if they remember the miracle of feeding all those people with so little and all of the left overs. Then he interprets his words for them: "Beware of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees."

Jesus was not concerned with the lack of bread. He could, as the creator of all things, make bread for them. He wanted to preserve the 12 from misunderstanding who he was and missing the Kingdom.

I need Jesus view of math. He does not need a sufficient monthly income to equal outflow (it is nice from our perspective and the perspective of accounting). He can take lack and make it plenty. He is more concerned with what I think about him (not in a way that he worries if we like him). He is concerned that I think on him rightly and know him and trust him and do his work. He can alter the math to add up properly.

Seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be added to you.

Lord help me to know you well enough to trust you and love you and believe you can make income equal outflow.