Mark 8:11-21 - Worry about the Important Things

Then the Pharisees came out and began to dispute with Him, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, testing Him.But He sighed deeply in His spirit, and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Assuredly, I say to you, no sign shall be given to this generation.”And He left them, and getting into the boat again, departed to the other side. Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, and they did not have more than one loaf with them in the boat.Then He charged them, saying, “Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.”And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “It is because we have no bread.” But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, “Why do you reason because you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive nor understand? Is your heart still hardened?Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear? And do you not remember?When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments did you take up? They said to Him, “Twelve.”Also, when I broke the seven for the four thousand, how many large baskets full of fragments did you take up? And they said, “Seven.”So He said to them, “How is it you do not understand?”

Don't worry about Bread

 The disciples are with Jesus in the boat and they realize they only have one load of bread with them. One loaf for 13 people won't go very far.  Jesus took the opportunity of the disciples desire for bread to teach them. He said, "Beware the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod." By that, did He not mean their teaching? On the one hand, the Pharisees were very zealous for the Law yet without love for God or their neighbor and Herod had no regard for God, his neighbor nor even his own family. Rather, he lived for his own pleasure. Both are extremes and should be avoided.  Instead, we should look to God.

But the disciples didn't understand what Jesus was talking about. When He mentioned leaven, they thought Jesus was somehow referencing their forgotten loaves.  Jesus had to remind them that He had provided for their physical needs in the past and, by implication, would do so in the future. The point is, that is not what we are to worry about. Instead, we should look to God.

Jesus was always looking for the "God angle." When He heard the disciples arguing about forgotten loaves of bread, He sought to remind us of God.  May I do the same this day. May I not just see common everyday things that make up my daily life.  Instead, may I see what God has to teach me in them. Just like Jesus used the opportunity of an ordinary discussion about eating, to raise our sights towards God, may I, in all the mundane things I see today, look for how I can learn of God. Amen.