Jesus had just fed 5,000 people from five small bread rolls and two dried fish – the picnic for a boy (John 6:8-9). Jesus had the power to multiply the food so that there was more than enough for everybody.  The twelve trainee apostles had the joyful task of distributing the food, but their work was not yet over; nor was the object lesson Jesus was teaching them.  

Jesus then asked them to collect all the left-over fragments of food; when they returned, each of them had filled a basket.  More than enough for each of them to eat to satisfy their own hunger.  Jesus fed the people, and there was also plenty for the disciples too.  But His instruction to them to gather the remaining food was not just to feed their stomachs, but also to feed their understanding of how He looks after those who work with Him (Matthew 16:5-12).  And for people who find the miracle difficult to believe, John wanted to stress that this was a real physical miracle - so real that everybody was satisfied, and there was still some left over for the workers.

Jesus also wanted the disciples to know that there was no waste in His abundant provision.  Everything the Lord supplies can be used by Him.  It was a lesson to carry with them into challenging ministry after Jesus had returned to heaven.  God gives abundantly and never wastes anything.  All the experiences, triumphs and tragedies of the past can all be used by God when they are transformed by His grace.

When He works in our lives, He does a million miracles to take us from where we were, in our sin and need, to make us be to 'the praise of His glory' (Ephesians 1:12-14).  Whenever God starts to work, look out to see that there is so much left over of His love and grace, because He wants us to put it all to good use.  Jesus is in the business of transformation and multiplication.  He can and will take even the worst of sinners, like the Apostle Paul, and turn them into saints who dare to suffer ... and even that suffering is not wasted.  God will use it all.