There was a season when my young son and I had 12 little guests at our dinner table in Uganda every night for 3 consecutive years. Previous to our sharing dinner with them, the children had often gone entire days without food. They began coming to our house when they heard that I would feed them. Many of the boys and girls—some as young as 3 years old—walked nearly 5 miles to reach our home, so I gave them a ride home each evening.

Our meals were filled with laughter as the boys and girls tried spaghetti and other foods for the first time. My heart overflowed with joy and I felt blessed as I watched the children who had been gaunt with hunger and depleted of strength gain energy and begin to run and play with other boys and girls their age. Wasswa and I discovered the more we generously shared, the more God provided for us to give away (Deuteronomy 15:8,10).

We often neglect helping others because we think we don’t have enough to give. Consider what happened when the disciples faced the prospect of feeding a huge crowd: “The disciples came to [Jesus] and said, ‘This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away so they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves.’ But Jesus said, ‘That isn’t necessary—you feed them.’ ‘But we have only five loaves of bread and two fish!’ they answered” (Matthew 14:15-17).

Despite their doubts, Jesus provided enough food to feed the entire crowd and then some. He multiplied the provisions to meet the need.

Jesus calls for us to join Him in satisfying the hunger of His treasured ones (Psalm 17:14). Today, ask Him to open your eyes to the need of those around you (Deuteronomy 15:11; Proverbs 28:27).

NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Esther 2:1-23