Unpretentious Continued...

Un·pre·ten·tious

adjective

• not attempting to impress others with an appearance of greater importance, talent, or culture than is actually possessed.

“Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”

Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”

 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.

When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.”

John 6:7-13 NIV

Unnamed and often forgotten, the “boy” in this passage reveals what it truly looks like to serve Jesus unpretentiously.  Scripture does not go into detail on the specifics of this encounter. What we do know, however, is that the boy gave to Jesus all that he had. There were no stipulations, no conditions, just open handedness with one's belongings. This story forces us to ask ourselves: What does it look like to give our all to Jesus? 

Charles Cowman, an early Wesleyan-Holiness missionary, evangelist in Japan and cofounder of what is now One Mission Society, penned this while in Japan:

“ I meditated this morning on John 6:11 about the lad with five loaves and a few fishes. 

No miracle was performed until he placed his little all into the hands of Jesus. He literally 

gave his all, not one loaf reserved, nor one-half a fish for himself, but after he had done 

this and the “all” was in the Master’s hand, the miracle was performed. 

I searched my soul to see if anything remained in my possession that I had not given to 

God, but found nothing. I have no bread or fish to give, but thank God, all I have has 

been given to him. We have no reserves anywhere, no bank accounts for a rainy day, no 

houses or lands. I praise him for this emptiness. I feel that I can ask my heavenly Father 

for bread for this multitude and he will multiply it a thousandfold. It is not a question of 

the supply in hand, but the Supplier.”

What would it look like to desire nothing other than being used by God? The call to set aside reputation, status, fame, etc. This is what unpretentiousness looks like. 

“I am no longer my own, but yours. Put me to what you will, place me with whom you will. Put me to doing, put me to suffering. Let me be put to work for you or set aside for you, Praised for you or criticized for you. Let me be full, let me be empty. Let me have all things, let me have nothing. I freely and fully surrender all things to your glory and service. And now, O wonderful and holy God, Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer,  you are mine, and I am yours. So be it. And the covenant which I have made on earth, Let it also be made in heaven. Amen.”

 - Wesley Covenant Prayer