"Does the place you're called to labor seem too small and little known? It is great if God is in it, and He'll not forget His own."—from the gospel hymn "Little Is Much When God is In It"
“It was nothing, really.”
How many times have you—have I—caught myself either saying or thinking those four words in response to:
“Thank you. You don’t know how much it means.”
??
I mean, maybe not nothing, but it really seemed pretty small compared to performing CPR or bringing fresh water to a third-world village. Except while those things are noble things, in the upside down world of the Kingdom of God, they are no more noble than picking up your cell phone when you find out (or even sense) someone is in trouble or hurting and then doing something really outrageous:
Actually calling someone on it. (And invariably, according to the person on the other end, at just the right time.)
That "thank you...you don't know how much it means" comment this week was a re-reminder: Being faithful in the seemingly small and relatively unimportant things matters. A lot. In life. To God. Never underestimate the ministry of the phone call, or the mowing of the lawn when you’d rather be doing something else that by its action is a simple “thank You” for the goodness of the land God has created, or even holding open a door for someone whose shocked expression seems to cry out, “Wow, someone cares about me.”
Jesus had a lot to say about loving your neighbor as yourself, but this is much more than just being nice or neighborly. Because Jesus also had a lot to say about the importance and goodness of doing all the seemingly “it was nothing, really” stuff, and giving what you have, with all your heart...
- To His guys on the hillside wondering how they were going to feed thousands with just a loaf of bread and a few small fish, He said, in so many words: “Give me what you’ve got, and watch what happens.”
- Of the widow who lovingly gave to God out of the stress off her poverty rather than the comfort of abundance, He said, in so many words: “I love this—she gave what she could.”
- Of the man who thought he only had one measly “talent” compared to the ones who seemed ridiculously gifted, He said, in so many words: “Little is much when I Am in it. Don’t bury it—cultivate it.”
The same God whose greatest commandment is “Love the Lord your God with all your heart…” isn’t just talking about Sundays or songs and prayers and sermons, and then going home to get on with our to-do list. Sometimes, quite often really, the greatest of all God’s commandments is most powerfully lived out loud on Monday and beyond, being faithful in the smallest, “It was nothing, really” moments of our days. Because…
“To GOD, there are no small offerings if they are made in the name of His Son. Conversely, nothing appears great to Him that is given for any other reason than for Jesus’ sake. If we cannot die for Christ, we can live for Him—and sometimes, this is more heroic and will bring a larger reward.”—A.W. Tozer
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