Modern, Everyday Miracle

This Sunday our pastor delivered a sermon about the miracle of the loaves and the fishes. That has always been one of my favorite parables and one that gives me a great deal of comfort. I guess knowing that Jesus will provide what we need makes me feel safe.

I often wonder what it would be like to witness a miracle like that. Then this Sunday, I realized that I have. OK, so it wasn't as dramatic as Jesus breaking the bread and it feeding over 5,000, but the fact that we can feed the world is an everyday miracle.

Think about it, our acres of farmland keep diminishing but we can provide the food and fiber that is needed to make the world go. Yes, I know there is hunger in this world, but it is not because we do not produce enough food.

So as the population grows and the number of farmers and ranchers decrease, it is nothing short of a miracle that enough food is produced. We have been given the tools as farmers and ranchers to produce this food. Tools such as genetically modified organisms such as crops that use less fertilizer and water to produce more grain, modern animal medicines that allow our animals to grow faster on less grain and modern livestock production systems that allow animals to grow in a climate controlled, disease-free environment. Yes, God has given us these tools to feed and clothe a hungry world.

So as you pass a field of round-up ready soybeans or hear a rancher talk about using modern anti-biotics realize that you are witnessing a miracle. Because I promise you that man could not figure out a way to feed 98% of humanity with the hand s of only 2 % of the population. That is nothing short of a miracle.