by Angela C. Unruh based on John 6:1-35

“Simeon!”

Simeon looked up as he bobbed in the blue-green water of the Sea of Galilee His best friend, Timothy, ran along the shore with a large group of people who were waving and shouting.

Why is everyone looking at me? he wondered.

“Shalom!” Simeon called, waving wildly at the crowd.

Timothy laughed so hard he almost fell down. “They aren't waving at you, show-off!” he yelled.

Timothy pointed to a boat far out on the sparkling water. “They're waving at Jesus. He'll soon head up to the hillside. C'mon!”

Simeon splashed out of the water and, telling Timothy to wait for him, raced along the narrow street to his house.

“Mom, I'm going to the hillside!” Simeon yelled, bursting through the door. He grabbed his mat and swung his water bag over his shoulder. He was almost out the door when a firm hand gripped his shoulder.

“That's too far.” Simeon's mom looked concerned. “You'll be gone all day!”

“Please, let me go, Imma,” Simeon begged, using his special name for his mother. “I saw Jesus' boat; people are running along the shore to meet him.”

Simeon's mom lifted round balls of barley dough into the oven. “You may go if you take some of these barley loaves I'm baking — and some fish.”

“But, Imma,” Simeon protested, “I need to go now! Timothy is waiting for me.” Simeon threw himself down on the floor by the oven.

His mother sat down next to him. “I would like to meet Jesus,” she said. “I'm having a hard time waiting to see him, too, but I must finish the baking.”

Simeon sighed. “When I go, I'll learn all I can, so I can come back to tell you.”

The minutes seemed like hours, but finally the loaves were golden brown. Simeon's mom hugged him tightly, then gave him a gentle shove toward the door. “Be back by dark!”

There was no sign of Timothy, so Simeon set off alone, rushing along a sandy road and dodging through a patch of trees. He barely slowed at a dry, rocky streambed. As he ran across, his foot caught a stone. He tumbled down and crashed against a boulder. Simeon lay in the dust, blinking hard to keep from crying. He felt a hand on his arm.

A bandit! Simeon thought, heart racing.

Simeon jerked his arm away and turned to face the large man who had grabbed him.

“Shalom,” the man said. “Are you hurt?”

“I'll be fine,” Simeon said, dabbing the blood from his knee. “I've got to go.”

Simeon stood and started up the hill.

“Where are you going?” the man asked, following.

“I'm going to see Jesus.”

“So am I!” the man said. “My name is Andrew, and I've got to catch up with my brother, Peter. He left without me.”

“I know how that feels,” Simeon said. Simeon told Andrew about Timothy leaving him behind when he had to wait for his mother to make lunch.

“You'll be glad she sent some food with you,” Andrew said as they crested the hill and were met by a crowd of people. “This place is a long way from nowhere.”

Andrew said goodbye and disappeared into the crowd.

The sun was hot. People stood so close together, Simeon couldn't move. There's no way I'll find Timothy, he thought. Simeon settled near the edge of the crowd. I can barely even see Jesus. All because of a lunch.

Jesus was telling an exciting story, and Simeon soon forgot about everything else. The sun moved across the sky, but Simeon didn't notice until his stomach growled. People began murmuring to each other and milling about.

“I know the children are hungry,” a man told his wife, “but we'll just have to wait.”

Simeon unpacked his lunch. Those loaves looked pretty good. All of a sudden, Andrew emerged from the crowd.

“Would you share your lunch?” Andrew asked.

Simeon hesitated before saying, “Sure. I guess there's enough for both of us.”

“Will you share all of it?”

Simeon gulped. He thought about what Jesus had been teaching and nodded.

“Come with me,” Andrew said.

Andrew pulled Simeon through a sea of people. Then Simeon saw Him — Jesus.

“Here is a boy with five barley loaves and two fish,” Andrew said. “How far will they go among so many?”

“Have the people sit down,” Jesus said.

Jesus broke the bread and thanked God. Simeon melted back into the crowd. After a few minutes, Jesus came to Simeon with His hands full of fish and bread. Simeon saw the large pieces He offered and looked around — everyone had an equally large portion!

Simeon looked into Jesus' eyes as he took the food.

“Jesus,” Simeon said, “my mother made those loaves. She hopes to see You someday. She needs the other kind of bread You've been talking about. I need it, too.”

Jesus smiled. “I am the Bread of Life, broken for you,” he said.

Simeon knew Jesus was the Messiah. Simeon's empty stomach would get full of bread, but his stomach could never be as full as his heart.

When it was time to go, Simeon ran home. He didn't stop until he reached his house. Bursting through the door, he grabbed his mother's hands.

“Imma!” he gasped. “Do you remember the bread and fish you put in my pack? You'll never guess what happened!”

	Q: What dessert do birds like best? A: Chocolate “chirp” cookies. Rawlin K., 11, Louisiana Clubhouse Jr. Click here to subscribe