Following Vulnerably: Caleb Adcox

After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias. A large crowd kept following him because they saw the signs that he was doing for the sick. Jesus went up the mountain and sat down there with his disciples. Now the Passover, the festival of the Jews, was near. When he looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?” He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do. Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.” One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?” Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was a great deal of grass in the place, so they sat down, about five thousand in all. Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted. When they were satisfied, he told his disciples, “Gather up the fragments left over, so that nothing may be lost.” So they gathered them up, and from the fragments of the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten, they filled twelve baskets. When the people saw the sign that he had done, they began to say, “This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world.” (John 6:1-14)

There is a crowd following Jesus, because they have seen and heard that He has been performing signs and miracles. This was, in all likelihood, a crowd of desperate people, people who had heard rumors of the Messiah, stories of a healer, a teacher, a prophet, and a miracle worker, and ran towards those stories, realizing they had no other hope. They were a crowd of people so desperate, it seems, that only one boy among all 5000 of them even thought far enough ahead to pack a lunch before following Jesus, some of them at least from the far side of the sea of Galilee, if not further. 

I say this not to condemn the crowd of being reckless or foolish, but instead to commend them. They were seeking first the kingdom of God, and trusting that all else would follow. The people had no way of knowing that Jesus would provide them with food, or even how long they would be gone. They simply chose to seek first the Kingdom of God, and trusted that in doing so all of their needs would be met. They did not try to live on bread alone, or by their own provision. They did not toil, did not budget out exactly what they needed. They simply followed where the Lord was leading them.

The people were blessed, far beyond not only what they had, but beyond anything that was available. They were blessed not for their works, but simply because they were present with God. So often, we fall into worry and anxiety, trying, like Martha, to do enough, to fulfill and satisfy ourselves and others by our labors, preparation, and ability. We give in to our fear, doubt, and pride, instead of following the example of Mary, and of the crowd. If we were to simply come to Jesus, at every opportunity and in response to every struggle, would we really be losing anything? Is it really a risk to forgo security and certainty, and to reject the lie that we are alone in this world, that we must depend on our own strength and our own provision, and instead to lean fully on the promises of God? It certainly feels like one. It is a deeply vulnerable position to allow yourself to be in a place where you have to rely on God, where His provision is the only way you can get by. It is far more comfortable, feels far safer, to live by our own plans. And yet, throughout scripture, we see God rewarding trust and devotion over strategy and success. Abraham was called away from his home to sojourn in a foreign land, and later to sacrifice the very son God had promised his descendants through. The disciples were called away from families and careers to become a part of a prophecy that had been unfulfilled for generations. Those same disciples were sent out “as lambs in the midst of wolves” with “no moneybag, no knapsack, [and] no sandals”, living off of the hospitality of the households they were ministering to. The early church survived because everyone gave freely of what they had. All reckless, irresponsible, and dangerous ways to live one’s life in the eyes of the world, just like following a stranger across the sea and up a mountain without any food. And yet, God was faithful to provide in all of these situations, far beyond what these people could have provided for themselves.

It is exactly in that vulnerability, in that complete lack of alternatives, that God’s blessings become the most abundant. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven”. “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you”. Blessed are the meek, the hungry, and those who mourn. “But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. “Woe to you who are full now, for you shall be hungry. “Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep. “Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets.” God’s blessing cannot be measured in or matched by the things of this earth. All earthly riches amount to nothing, all power and authority is empty. Only that which comes from God will amount to anything. And so we follow Him, to all nations and in all circumstances, secure in the knowledge that it is not the things of earth that will define our worth or reward our works. We follow His call knowing we likely will not follow it to wealth, often will not follow it into comfort, and may at times not even follow it into safety. And yet, we still follow that call, because it is the only path that leads to life.

Caleb Adcox is an ACF intern from Bedford, TX. He graduated from Louisiana Tech with a major in Business. A joy to be around and filled with the Holy Spirit, Caleb is always ready with a dad joke, a smile, or a word of consolation. We are so blessed to have him on our team and are excited to see the way God will move through him during his time as an intern and beyond!