THE POWER OF LITTLE

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The tragedy is not when Christ followers do little things, but when they do nothing at all!

 

Indeed, I’m marveling over the power of little when committed in faith to God.  A little shepherd boy took five small stones and down came the giant.  A small boy’s little lunch fed a large crowd.  A tiny grain of mustard produces an impressive garden shrub.  And, just a few followers of Jesus moved out of an upper room to change the world.

 

How easy to focus only on the enormous realities around us that dwarf our little!  The giant’s huge size, intimidating weaponry, and bullish taunts make us forget we have a sling.  Large, hungry crowds mock our modest lunches.  Tiny seeds seduce us into small expectations. And, well, what can just a few of us accomplish?

 

Of course, the power of the little does not come from the little.  Little is little.  Period!  And, if we are left to our little of this or little of that—little or nothing is what we can expect.

 

The power of the little comes from the One to whom we commit it, the One we allow to use it.  The power comes from focusing on God, anticipating what he might do, trusting that he will do something, something good and often big.

 

Accordingly, we commit our whole lives to him, but each new day we also commit ourselves, the few hours we have, all the little things that make up our days.  We commit these things knowing he will be at work.  We spend a little time in God’s word and brief interludes throughout the day talking things over with our Lord.  We offer a short greeting, a few words of encouragement, congratulations, thanks.  We wave at passersby.  We stop to listen to a child, affirm a person struggling to believe, offer a handshake or hug.  We write a note to someone we’ve missed seeing lately.  We give the benefit of the doubt and allow others to do us small favors.

 

We do whatever little things we do as an offering of thanks to God.  Only because God is good do we enjoy even a little.  Because God is good the little we have, or give, or spend accomplishes much.

 

Of course, because these are the little things of life, often we cannot see what God is doing with them.  At least not at first, and not for a while.  Then, from time to time, giants fall to the ground dead, huge crowds go home filled, harvest time comes, as we are surprised to realize that the world has changed.

 

He’s doing it even now, with and through the little we confidently offer him!

 

Again, the tragedy is not when Christ followers do little things, but when they do nothing at all!

Published by David Kendall

Reverend David W. Kendall, an ordained elder in the Great Plains Conference, was elected to the office of bishop of the Free Methodist Church in May 2005. He serves as overseer of East Michigan, Gateway, Great Plains, Mid-America, North Central, North Michigan, Ohio, Southern Michigan, Wabash, African Area Annual Conferences; and Coordinator of oversight for the World Ministries Center.

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