Small stuff.... Big impact!

Rev. Andrew Jensen's first Sunday at his new church coincided with an appeal to the membership to give to a fund to aid the victims of a hurricane. Due to a clerical error, the centre page of the bulletin was missing, so those in attendance reading from the bottom of the second page to the top of the last page would have read: "Welcome to the Rev. Andrew Jensen and his family … the worst disaster to hit the area in this century. The full extent of the tragedy is not yet known." Small mistake...big impact!

In our Christian walk it is often the small stuff that is the important stuff! In many instances it is the small things we are faithful in doing that are the launching pad for God to produce the miraculous, the big impact!

During His earthly ministry, our Lord Jesus taught His disciples this principle: “One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much” (Luke 16:10). The New Testament gives us several examples of individuals who were faithful in small things, and yet whose faithfulness in small things aided the advancement of the gospel and brought great glory to Christ:

At the wedding in Cana of Galilee, Jesus commanded the servants to “fill the water pots with water” (John 2:7). The servants’ faithfulness in something so trivial ended in their receiving the best wine for the entire wedding party.”

The boy who gave Jesus his five loaves and two fish (John 6:6–14) was instrumental in the miraculous feeding of the five thousand. Thousands were fed and ministers were supported by one boy’s small sacrifice.

The widow with the two mites (Mark 12:41–44) seemed to have given far less than what those who put in large amounts had given. Yet, Jesus said that by giving all that she possessed, she had put in more than all. Her faithfulness in something seemingly small has encouraged others to give in sacrificial abundance for two millennia.

God loves to bless the little things His people do. Sometimes they are small acts, and sometimes they only appear to be so. Jesus cares deeply about the little things that His people do to bless others. He uses the little things that His people do to carry on His work in the world through His church. May God give all of us grace to cultivate faithfulness in the small stuff?

The Small stuff we Say!

The little things we say can make or break us or make or break others. A kind word can lift the spirit. Just a simple I’m praying for you, can give encouragement to someone whom is down.

It could be the simple little words of “you’re doing a good job” to inspire someone to continue the work God has gave them to do. Just to tell someone thank you means the world to someone that thinks their deeds go unnoticed. It is not just what we say to those we know, it could be the person in the checkout line or the waitress in the restaurant. You never know when God might use you to tell a stranger that He loves them through you and your words.

The Small stuff we Do!

So when was the last time you did something little for your spouse, your kids, your friends? I remember my Dad would now and again surprise my mom with a bunch of Lily’s, her favourite flower. Now for those who know her my mom was never a romantic, but I know that little gesture meant a lot to her. It’s not just the little things we do for our spouses; it is our kids as well. Go kick a ball with them. Colour in a picture with them, take them to the Zoo or movies for that crazy kids film. Get involved in their lives. Find something they like and spend time with them. The smallest thing can create bonds that will last forever.

It is the small stuff that counts. The little things we do for our family. The little things we do for our friends. Even the little things we do for a stranger can make all the difference in the world.

Even the small stuff you do for Christ can make a huge difference. Just think how much more our churches could do for Christ if EVERYONE did just a little and not just a few doing the much.

You know that if you are a Christian the Bible says that you are to be the light of the world to bring others to Christ. But sometimes it is the little things that we say or do that cause us to lose our testimony. You can do a hundred things right, but slip just once and that is what they remember. What small stuff are you doing? Is it good things or bad?

The small stuff we give!

God can always take a little and make a lot. All we have to do is be willing to give. What if we would all give a little bit of our time to God how much more could be done for His glory. So much could be accomplished if all of us would give just a little bit of our talent, a little bit more of our love.

We need to give a little more time and devotion to our families. We need to give a little more to help others. Lend a hand when we see someone in need. We need to give to those who are less fortunate than we are. Matthew 10:8b, freely you have received, freely give.

The small stuff, the little things we say, do, and give can and will make a big impact/difference. God loves to use small stuff:

Small numbers. Jonathan told his armor-bearer (I Samuel 14:6) that it makes little difference to God whether He saves by the few or the many. You and I know small churches feel they can't do anything because their members are few in number. Not so.

Small people. The Apostle Paul suggested in I Corinthians 1:26 that the members of that church look around. They would see not many celebrities, not many people the world acclaims as great or mighty or rich or gifted. God chose to use the nobodies of the world.

Small gifts. No one illustrates this better than the boy who gave his lunch to Jesus and ended up feeding five thousand (John 6:9) or the widow who dropped her two coins into the offering and went on her way (Mark 12:42). Neither had any way of knowing what this meant to the Lord or that we would still be talking about them 2,000 years later. A baby in a manger with a teenage mother. A cup of water in Jesus name. A Mustard seed faith. A bed lowered trough a roof.

God loves to use small things. God delights in using nothings and nobodies. It might be small stuff we give or do...but we serve a BIG GOD - HE MAKES A BIG IMPACT.