Small Is Never Too Small
I have noticed, which I’m sure we all have at one time or another, that in our society bigger is considered better, stronger and more important. The more you have the better off you are. Some want to skip over the baby steps and jump right into the big stuff. We tend to feel we aren’t making an impact if we don’t have the large numbers to show for it. We aren’t recovering quick enough if we don’t see major improvements, and the list goes on. However, when we take a stroll through the Bible, we see this concept isn’t the case and it can even hinder our walk.
Many times God tends to choose the smallest over that which is bigger as this will glorify Him more. He doesn’t always use the qualified but qualifies those who the world may deem uneducated, inexperienced, or small. When we feel our baby steps to recovery or healing have not amounted to anything, He shows us just how far we have come in those little steps. When we think our small act of kindness towards someone may not have made a dent, He gives us a glimpse at how much of an impact our small act made in the life of this person be it physically or spiritually. And when we think we are too “small” to be used in His mighty plan, He points us back to those in the Bible who felt the same way and God used them in a mighty way.
King David was small in stature, but His heart was for the Lord. In 1 Samuel 17 when Saul and his army hesitated to go up against Goliath due to his size and strength, David did not fear him. His heart was for the Lord and he told Saul He would go up against Goliath. Saul compared David’s age and lack of experience to Goliath’s and discouraged David telling him he couldn’t possibly win against him. Then when Saul relented and allowed David to go up against Goliath, David had to face the taunting of Goliath:
43 “Am I a dog,” he roared at David, “that you come at me with a stick?” And he cursed David by the names of his gods. 44 “Come over here, and I’ll give your flesh to the birds and wild animals!” Goliath yelled.
Yet David did not back down and killed Goliath because his heart was for the Lord and the Lord empowered Him.
In Judges 6-8, Gideon was the least of his entire family. He was the youngest, smallest and the least respected out of his entire tribe. God used Gideon to save Israel. Gideon had an obedient nature and that is what God will use. God knocked Gideon’s army down to 300 men but Gideon’s faithfulness did not waiver. Gideon’s small army defeated the Midianites and this brought glory to God.
In Luke 21:1-4 we see Jesus observing people putting their gifts into the treasury. One were the rich and another was a poor widow. Here we see Jesus was not impressed with the rich putting their gifts into the treasury. What He focused on more was the poor widow who put everything she had into the offerings. Jesus stated in verses 3-4: “Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had.”
And now we look at our Lord and Savior, Jesus. He came as a baby into this world, having a small beginning. He slept in a manager and grew up as the children of that time grew up. He had humble beginnings and wasn’t rich as we would think a king would be. He was the most obedient person to God. Day by day as He grew, He learned and patiently took the baby steps He needed to take to get where He needed to be. No one could comprehend how huge of an impact His ministry would be by simply observing a baby, born in a manger in humble beginnings. By observing this boy who grew up and was educated as Jewish boys were yet had the wisdom of someone far older. No one thought that the carpenter’s son, who was a carpenter Himself, could save the world through a sacrificial act. Yet, He started small and continued with each step until he got to where He needed to be in order to do what God had sent Him to do. He accomplished the mission because He did not miss a step.
We tend to either want to skip the small baby steps and leap into bigger and better things or we feel the baby steps and/or small things aren’t as important. What we fail to realize is that it is in those small steps that we learn and grow. It is in those small things that we sometimes make the largest impact.
1. That small donation you made to someone be it clothing, food, financial, or any necessity not only made an impact on their need at the time, but it gave them a renewed look at humanity (as we are always shown the bad in humanity and not always the good).
2. You feel as though your recovery or healing is taking longer than it should and you almost feel like quitting, but in reality those small steps you take every day to make better choices and walk the straight and narrow are strengthening you and you may not even realize you are changing until someone brings it up.
3. You may compare your work, marriage, family, ministry, etc with others thinking you should be further ahead like they are and feel as though all the set backs, obstacles and small steps you are making aren’t amounting to much. Yet it is in those setbacks, obstacles and small steps that you are learning how to persevere, become more patient and gain wisdom that will be needed for what you are to do.
4. You may think that those who are bigger and louder are in control and can do whatever they want even if it means controlling you. But this isn’t always the case. They can get away with it because they know how to manipulate and cause fear to get what they want. But we see with Jesus, the more powerful one isn’t the loudest and the biggest. It’s the one who has the characteristics of the Lord which is the fruit of the Spirit, has self-control of their emotions and has faith and trust in the Lord.
Remember this: the enemy’s thinking is bigger is better, jump to the front, cut corners, be loud and controlling to get what you want. This is the world’s mentality, but we are not of this world and this isn’t our home:
Peter 2:11-12 Dear friends, I warn you as “temporary residents and foreigners” to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls.
John 15:19: As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.
1 John 5:19 We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.
Never underestimate the importance of small beginnings or small acts of kindness. Never overlook what someone has to offer because they may not have much or are not what society thinks they should be. And never underestimate what you can do though you may be small in number. When you have the Lord behind you, He will provide everything you need to do the work and accomplish the mission.