Has anyone ever solved a complicated crisis by panicking? I doubt it. (But that hasn’t stopped us from trying.)
When unexpected events occur, people tend to react strongly as the “fight or flight” response kicks in. Scientists refer to this as the sympathetic nervous system. It’s that part of the human brain that immediately kicks into gear during a crisis. The pulse races, blood-pressure rises, and muscles tense as the body prepares to either run or fight.
This response is rooted in our evolutionary need for survival. Our ancestors’ bodies, going back millions of years, were hard-wired to react in this way whenever a predator or enemy appeared. The sympathetic nervous system (i.e. flight/flight response) is our brain’s way of keeping us alive in dangerous situations.
This is a good thing and we should give thanks for it, but it has its limitations. If…
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North Presbyterian Church 
I am struck by how this story seems to be the inspiration for the children’s story “Stone Soup”. Stopping the negative thoughts about what we don’t have and how we can’t succeed and giving thanks for what we have been given is something we need to regularly be reminded of.
I think the miracle that caused the people to plot to make Jesus king was not that he somehow manufactured food. Nowhere does it say that the only food consumed was the five loaves and two fishes. I suspect many others had brought food to the gathering. Perhaps they were not willing to share for fear that there was not enough to go around.
Using the faith of a child, Jesus was able to organize and lead the throng to do something they were skeptical could be accomplished.
Not only was there enough, there was an abundance.
Surely someone who had that vision could lead a people.