Our God of small things
“Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered…”
Luke 12: 6-7 (NIV)
Some time ago I got into conversation with a lady I know who attends the local village church. She started to tell me that, being quite a reserved person, she didn’t always feel able to participate in the various things to do with the running of the church. She mentioned several things that she considered to be important jobs there. They were mostly things that people could be seen to be doing. It seemed to be really troubling her. During the conversation she casually mentioned that she had made smiling eye contact with someone that she had previously had a problem with. I told her that I thought that was a good and courageous thing to do. She dismissed it as ‘only a small thing’.
Sometimes we are like that too, aren’t we? We look at what we consider to be important things and feel inadequate if we are not involved in them. Maybe we even feel inadequate in God’s eyes? But God isn’t like that; he is a God of small things, as well as what may seem to us to be the bigger things that are certainly essential to the running of any organisation.
Remember the poor widow in Mark 12:41-44, who Jesus commended because she had put into the offering box all that she had – which was only two small coins.
God watches the small things we do from our hearts. He rejoices in what is right, not necessarily what is big and showy. If we can be faithful in small things, he knows we can be trusted with greater things that he has in store for us.
Remember also the parable of the mustard seed in Matthew 13:31-32, which Jesus compares to the Kingdom of Heaven; when it is planted, it is the smallest of seeds yet it grows into a very large bush or tree. We should think of our good deeds like those mustard seeds. The smallest act of mercy, love and grace is considered a mighty work in God’s eyes.
Our God truly is a God of small things.
Prayer
O righteous God, who searches minds and hearts, we know that you rejoice over every small thing that is done or said in the name of Jesus. Thank you for your unfailing love towards us and for such amazing grace, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Study by June Burrows
About the writer:
June Burrows attends the Southampton congregation of Grace Communion International
Local congregation:
Hythe & Dibden Parish Hall
West St
Hythe
Southampton
SO45 6AA
Meeting time:
Saturday 11:00am
Local congregation contact:
Peter Noon
Email: southampton@gracecom.church
Word of Life contact:
wordoflife@gracecom.church