If there is one thing that we seem to set aside, it is small things. We should be thankful that many things start out small in this world. If you want to plant a tree, you would plant a seed. How would you like it if instead of planting a seed to grow a tree, you were required to plant a trunk of a tree? I don’t think there would be too many Sequoia trees in California if they didn’t start out with a seed. What about we humans when we come into the world? One woman described giving birth as pulling a cabbage patch doll through your nose. Can you imagine if we came into this world fully grown?

One of the reasons things start out small is so they may grow and experience life as they grow older. That goes for humans and also animals. Animals experience life the way we do. Did you ever see a parent of an animal smack a young one to keep them from a hurtful situation? The difference between an animal and a human, is the baby animal listens to their parent. (He who has ears to hear) On Tuesday of this past week, I was sitting in my car in the afternoon and was fooling around with my mobile ham radio. Now it is no bigger than a CB set and my antenna is a CB antenna which I cut 5 inches off to match frequency. If you look at my set up, you would not think it is a workable system. So on Tuesday afternoon, I began to call CQ (which is a shortened term for “seek you.”) I called and waited and then a person responded to me, and their signal got strong enough for me to hear. I was shocked, my little mobile had reached Christmas Island in the Central Pacific ( I live in central New Jersey). It is the Line Islands about 500 miles south of Hawaii (East Kiribati). In Ham radio, a contact like this is a coveted one because of its exotic location. Some people buy thousands of dollars worth of equipment and run high power in hopes to get a contact like that, and here I come along in my weak mobile and contact a station like that.

As humans we covet the best and biggest things in this world. If SUV’s get any bigger, a person can stick their home in them and bring it with them. I still don’t understand why anyone “needs” a Hummer in the suburbs. We always have this idea that when we have the biggest and the best, then we can make a difference for the kingdom of God. We don’t want to support missions unless we give a $100 gift. So we can only give $20 and we don’t. Unless we are a big organized ministry, we don’t think we can be effective for the Kingdom of God. This is how Satan toys with us. He tells us that what we have to offer the Kingdom of God is never enough! Guess what? Many fall for that line, I know, I did when I was a younger Christian. Then I began to understand the parable of the twelve loaves and fishes. The little boy had little yet when he gave it to Jesus it became much. Our small donations, not only money, but time, effort, and willingness, will always make an impact for the Kingdom of God.

Consider how many Christians there are around the world and if each one would make a small impact where they live and work, in the aggregate, that would make a mighty influence on the world in general. Once we get over the idea that God cannot use small gifts and efforts, we will then be free to work to the Glory of God. When we always think that much is better and that we have to give much, it is a form of pride. Many do not want someone else knowing they can only afford $10 or $20. Don’t worry about the amount, especially when it is given with the right attitude.

As we progress in the Christian faith, then when we show God that we can be faithful in the little things, He will then begin to trust us with more responsibility in ministry. It does not necessarily mean increased funds but it may also mean an increase in spiritual responsibility. The reason that God starts things out slow and then tests us along the way is so we know if we have the spiritual stamina to continue in the ministry or if we will faint at the first sign of trouble. Remember trouble in the Christian walk is a testing platform. Job was severely tested and he passed the faith test. Naboth was tested and he passed the faith test. Daniel was tested and he passed the faith test. When each passed their faith test, what was their reward? Job received double his material goods from the Lord. Daniel was promoted and God’s name revered. Naboth was translated to Glory.

If each of us view the seeds in our life as growing into the big picture, we will treat the small things in our life as we do a fully matured tree. We all love to sit under a tree, especially in the summertime, but how many of us realize how many years it took for that tree to grow. Do we ever wonder how many storms a single tree has seen, how much snow has buried its trunk, how many winters it has seen, how much lightning it has seen, how many diseases it is susceptible to in the wild, and how many dogs have used it for, well you know? Yet that tree grows stronger in the winter as it sleeps and then when the Lord ordains the time for it to bloom, it does, normally with more leaves and blossoms than the year before. Then we enjoy being under its branches. As we mature in the Christian faith, we too will meet many storms and some with severe lightning. Each of these storms, when faced properly, will cause us to grow one more step stronger in the Christian faith. Don’t look at the smallness of something and deem it as insignificant. Remember, once you were an embryo. The day of small things is how God works out His plans on this earth. The Kingdom of God moves invisibly in this world. When you hand out 100 tracts, does that impact the whole world? Of course not, but it does impact those 100 people, and if one becomes saved, you don’t know the ripple effect your small ministry may have in the larger scheme of things. So don’t set aside or despise small things because it is your stepping stone to maturity and world influence for the Gospel.  (3/5/04)

Back