Small Things

Introduction

You know, as we’re young kids, we at some point we start learning about the values of things, how to assess the value of different things. Most people think, of course, in terms of money as a kid, maybe buying candy or something. What I think in terms of what really stands out in my memory was going to those gaming places, kind of like Chuck E. Cheeses. This was before Chucky Cheese, but where they have games and skee ball and things like that, and you play these games, and depending on how you do on the game, the these little tickets come out in the machine, and you collect those, and you can go up to this little store they have with novelties and little doodads and toys, and you can exchange and buy things there.

Most of you I think know what I’m know what I’m talking about. And uh I remember that very distinctly as a kid, you know, trying to how many tickets is this worth? Well, that’s worth twenty five, and that’s worth fifty, and I never had much money to spend on the games, and everyone was very good at the games, so I didn’t have a lot of tickets. Some of these kids had huge balls of tickets. I don’t know how they did that, but I still had fun with that. Buying those little things. I think the best thing I ever got was a rabbit foot keychain. I remember it was dyed purple, and somehow that was neat to me, and I I still have a fond memory when I think about that.

Well, it’s how we start out as we as we get older, we learn more and more about assessing the value of things. Uh using uh even as you get to great big things and uh realize things have different values, and you realize everybody wants bigger, better, the greatest thing, the bigger, best the the greatest thing you can get is is what everybody is a after. And then as you mature more, you realize it’s not just about physical things and and things you spend money on, it’s also about talents and abilities and contributions people make to a to an effort or uh or in some way, you learn bigger, better, greater. And you learn to evaluate and assess things and reject things as well, saying, well, that’s not worth much and that’s worth a lot.

And you keep developing and that sort of thing. But then if you mature enough, you also get to a point where you realize not everything has to be the biggest, the greatest, the most fantastic. But lesser, smaller things matter too. You know, I think I got more joy out of that little purple rabbit’s foot than I did some of the bigger things I got later on. The small things count too. Everybody wants to be starting quarterback, but you know, every football team has got to have a second string quarterback. You can’t do it without one. And I think it’s the third string quarterback as well. Well, I want to take all these thoughts tonight and talk about what we do and how we work and how we serve in the kingdom of God and in the local congregation.

1. There Are Many Parts, Yet One Body

And I want to challenge us to rethink a little bit small things. Small things, not everything has to be the biggest, the best, the most fantastic. There’s a lot of small things to do that also means something. Would you turn in the Bibles, please, to 1 Corinthians in chapter 12? 1 Corinthians chapter 12, and let’s talk about some small things, small talents, small works, small acts of service. Now, the context in 1 Corinthians 12 is that of miraculous gifts. We don’t have those today, but the principle I believe here that Paul was applying to miraculous gifts, I believe can be applied to non miraculous talents and works and abilities as well. Let’s read for a little bit. First Corinthians twelve, verse four. The Apostle Paul speaking says, Now there are varieties of guests with the same spirit, and there are varieties of service with the same Lord.

And there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all to in every one. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

If the foot should say, Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body, that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body, that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would this be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members of the body, each one of them as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of you, nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.

On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those bodies, parts of the body that we think less honorable, we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty. Continuing verse twenty four, which are more presentable parts do not require, but God so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it. That there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffers together. If one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ, and individually members of it. And God is appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating in various kinds of tongues.

Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do I possess gifts of healing? Do I speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the higher gifts, and I will still show you a more excellent way. Now, the model that Paul gives here is of a physical body. Some parts are bigger, some parts are more critical, some parts have more value and glory in a physical body. I mean, face it, if you had to choose between losing an eye and losing a toe, which would you choose? Obviously, you’ll say, take the toe, I’ll keep my eye, thank you. But that does that make your toe unimportant? Not at all. God put each part of the physical body there for a reason, and everything in your physical body has a role to play.

Now, realize with me that the body illustration here that Paul uses is limited, especially in our context in what we’re talking about tonight, the context of non-miraculous talents. We are not necessarily fixed in our roles and abilities because of miracle, miraculous abilities we’ve been given. We don’t have that, and so we’re not necessarily fixed in our roles. Maybe in some things, maybe in some things you realize that you just you’re not going to be a song leader, for example. You just can’t seem to get that. But we can always improve and increase and still do more. Furthermore, people who have bigger roles in the spiritual body still have smaller jobs to do. In our congregation, which is much smaller, our elders also take turns cleaning the building, as do I.

Several months a year. I clean our church building. Songwriters who have the talent to write hymns, sometimes they’ll clean up and tidy up books as well. So even people with bigger roles also do smaller jobs as well. And people with smaller roles sometimes have bigger jobs to do as well. Sometimes what appears to be a small job is bigger than we realize. And sometimes smaller works have a large impact over time. The most humble parts of a car has to be, it’s got to be the spare tire. It sits there tucked away for so long, no attention, no real, it just seems so unimportant. But when you need it, it’s absolutely critical. We look to preachers for their skills in teaching the Word of God and this big role to play, but the most effective at meeting people and sparking their interest in studying the church, in my experience, you know who they’ve been converts.

New converts. I find have been some of the best people at not teaching the gospel, but talking to others and sparking interest in the church. People, new converts who don’t know Genesis from Revelation, sometimes are the most effective at reaching people. People like the Samaritan woman who learned about Christ, and she couldn’t teach or explain much, but she went back to a village and she brought the whole town out to see Jesus. And they shared her excitement over the new discovery. There was a brother I knew in a congregation I was at many years ago who had some mental deficiencies. He had had some kind of operation on his brain. I don’t remember the details of it all. And he was functional, but he was limited.

And he couldn’t drive, he didn’t think that would be right for him to do. Sometimes he could black out. Once in a while he would try to preach, but he was very slow and it was very difficult for him. He had a lot of limitations, but he was very dedicated. He’s very faithful. He couldn’t really teach people very well. He would try sometimes.

I studied with some of them that he asked me to. Six people he brought to the Lord. The last one before I moved away from that congregation was a woman who’s Muslim. And she was converted. She was baptized, and she became his wife. And it just was a beautiful story ending up my time in that congregation. Some of the greatest edification comes from not big, giant, larger to life, hugely talented people, not putting that down in any way. But a small word, a small touch from a quiet person that goes out of their way to give a little tap on the shoulder and say something. We’ve heard versions of this statement there are no small jobs, only small people. All jobs, all tasks are important. We only make them small if we treat them as small.

2. Faithfulness Is Big No Matter the Size

Faithfulness is important no matter the size of the task, faithfulness is big. Character is big. No matter the size of the task, character is big. Show and build character, godly character, even in small duties. Jesus teaches a parable about a man of the world. We won’t take the time to go there tonight, but he was very shrewd in relatively small things in Luke 16, and Jesus makes this application. One who is faithful in very little is also faithful in much. And one who is dishonest in very little is also dishonest in much. A similar point is made in the parable of the talents. One man had only one talent given to him. What was important was not the number of talents he had. What was important is what he did with whatever he had.

What was important was not the size of the thing he had, but his faithfulness with the thing he had. Luke 19, verse 17. And he said to him, Well done, good servant, because you have been faithful in very little. You shall have authority over ten cities.

Faithfulness with talents. Faithfulness with the opportunities we are given.

This was in Canada. This brother had more significant mental issues. He had, before he came to Christ, he had fallen off the balcony, had some brain damage there. He could do some things. He was somewhat functional, uh, very strong in body, but very limited in what he could do. One thing he could do very well was shovel snow. And we had a lot of it in Canada. And sometimes it would get pretty thick. And he, that was one of his things he would do. Is he would shovel around our meeting place. And he was very dedicated to that. And he would get there early when it had snowed, and he would shovel like nobody’s business, and he took the job very, very seriously. And I can remember one time, to my shame.

I got in there at the building, and I was kind of in a rush to get in. I had important things to do, and the snow wasn’t that bad, but he was out there shoveling and sweeping. He’s kind of blocking my path. And I don’t remember what I said exactly, but I remember what I thought. It’s like, would you get out of the way? I’ve got important things to do inside that building. You know, the snow is fine. Just give it a rest already. And you know it was wrong of me to think like that, and I didn’t say nearly that much, because sometimes the snow was so bad that none of us could have gotten into that building to do our big important works if this man Owen wasn’t out there shoveling that snow first.

He was doing what he could, and he was doing it with dedication. He was doing it to his best of his ability, and he needed to be encouraged in that rather than criticized. You see, faithfulness is never a small thing. Faithfulness, stewardship, character are important things, regardless of how many talents we have or how big the job is that we’re doing. First Peter 4, verse 11. Whoever speaks, let him speak as it were the utterances of God. Whoever serves, let him do so, as by the strength which God supplies. So then in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. All things include small things. Hebrews 13, verse 18. Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a good conscience, desiring to conduct ourselves honorably in all things.

3. All Things Include Small Things

Think it with me. I want to ask you to say it. All things include small things. Now, think about this point with me. We’re thinking about, again, the biggest, the greatest, the works that we know we could do, but when you really, really think about it, I believe this statement is true. Most things that need to be done as Christians and in the Lord’s body are small things. Most of the work that we have to do consists of small things, things that we would might judge as small. Most of the opportunities we will have to be to glorify God will be found really in doing small things, but in doing them day after day. With little attention from others, no spotlight, no fanfare, no applause, just humbly applying ourselves to consistent faithfulness in all aspects of our lives and responsibilities.

Big things like building an ark or slaying a Goliath are pretty rare events. Instead, our lives consist mostly of day-to-day small things. Things that are not that complicated. Things that don’t really grab the attention of others as being a big deal. I’m talking about things like encouraging your brethren, simply with your presence and your voice and your prayers. Offering a helping hand to your brother, your sister in Christ, loving and providing for your family, speaking an encouraging word, and all of these small things. Understand we are being tested. And our faithfulness and character are on the line. So don’t wait around for a big grand day to build an ark or slay a giant. Think about the little things you have to do today and do them as best as you possibly can.

2 Corinthians 2 verse 9, Paul writes and says, For to this end, and also I wrote that I might put you to the test, whether you are obedient in all things. All things include small things. God is not looking at us simply in terms of whether we’re or not we’ll do some grand big, amazing act of obedience. He is looking at us to be continually faithful in all things, even the little things. In many ways, this is the real test. The hardest test, the test not of getting yourself up to do a big, great thing, but the test of endurance. Will we endure? Will you endure in obeying the will of God, even in the small things day after day? Will you pray today as you ought?

4. We Never Know When Something Is Big

Will you read your Bible today? Will you do some little thing to encourage your brother? Will you give a helping hand to someone in need? Will you invite someone to study or to visit the assemblies here? Will you be apart and present when your brethren are gathered? Little things. And I’m using the quotations because there’s different ways to talk about that. But little things that are not real glamorous and we don’t think of as being big. That’s my point. Nothing that will bring a lot of attention or accolades, but these are the things that mostly need to be done in the kingdom. You see, we never know when something may turn out to be big. Sometimes you don’t know beforehand how small or big something may really be.

Some very big acts have been done by people who thought they were doing a small thing. Many things that appear to be small to us are in fact going to lead to something big, or they’re a part of a bigger picture. I think of Hebrews 13, verse 2. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers. Seems like a kind of a little thing, right? But some have entertained angels unawares. They didn’t realize what a big deal it was. The little thing they were doing was much bigger than they realized. Some of the things that have had the biggest impact on me and my faith have been relatively small things. For example, the first time I was asked to preach. Elder asked me to preach. I was 16 years old.

I didn’t say it, but I thought, are you nuts? Me, the quietest, quietest, shyest person in the room, and I’m just 16. You asked me to preach, and it’s kind of a small thing. It didn’t take him long to say it. Made a huge impact on my life. And I still know him. And I still see him now and then in Texas. And I’ve always had a deep appreciation for him. Small acts of kindness. Small acts of kindness could be very powerful. Where I first began, when I first began preaching on a full-time basis, it was in Germany with a mostly American congregation made up of servicemen. So eager to move there. But when the time came to actually move there, I got very homesick and very nervous about it.

And everything looked different moving there versus having visited there before. And I always remember that first night I was there was on a Wednesday night, and it was in winter and it was cold and it was dark and it was rainy. And I was just feeling like, what have I done? What am I doing here? The group was so small, 15, 16, 17, something like that. So small and seemed so quiet. And everybody was so different and so strange. And they they, you know, they were nice to me and everything, but I just I didn’t know I was going to do. It’s like, what am I doing here? I don’t know I can do this. And again, people, you know, said some things, nothing, you know, it was fine, but at the end, before I left afterwards, this little girl, about seven years old, came up to me and she had a little card that she made.

I had the impression it was her idea, and just drew a few little flowers on it or something, opened it up, and inside it just said, I’m glad you’re here. And that made all the difference. That little four words, a little thing from a quiet person, that little touch. I left that night feeling a hundred times better because that little girl just said that. I needed somebody to say that. You made the right decision, and we’re glad that you did. We’re glad that you’re here. I should have kept that, don’t you think? I don’t know what happened to that. But I remember that. That sticks with me. Relatively small things. I don’t know where I’d be without them. The little things people have done. I remember years and years later, and it made the difference.

Some of the things I’ve been most impressed with in others have been relatively small things. A small initiative someone took, a little extra effort that someone made, a willingness to act when others were not willing to, including me, were not willing to act. This wasn’t in the church, but I remember a job I had as a teenager in a restaurant, a pizza restaurant, and something happened in the back kitchen, some things fell, and there was tomato sauce everywhere. It was a big mess. And all of us, the employees, were arguing about who’s going to go back there and clean it up. And while we were arguing about that, one of the employees, without saying a word, was back there cleaning it up. He didn’t say a word.

He just went and took responsibility and did that. And guess what? Many, many years later, I remember that act. Some of these small things, we think of the small, why bother with that? Are so much bigger than you realize. In Hebrews 11, we’re told about the great faith of men in the Old Testament. And some pretty big acts of faith are mentioned in Hebrews chapter 11. But then right there in the middle of all these huge, impressive acts of faith are a couple of things that don’t seem big so big to me. What do you think? Hebrews 11 21, by faith, Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. Does that really compare with building an ark and slaying a giant and those kinds of things?

By faith, Joseph, when he was dying, here’s his lot of big things, but what Hebrews remembers him for is this. He made mention. He made a comment of the exodus of the sons of Israel and gave orders concerning his bones. I don’t know if Jacob saw his actions as being a great big act of faith. I don’t know if Joseph did either, making that mention. But that’s exactly how the Lord saw their actions, and that’s how they are recorded. They were making and acting on faith. A faith that was so much larger than Metsi. And when you study that and you realize what it meant for Joseph to mention that, what it meant for Jacob to worship leaning on his staff, you have to realize it’s much bigger than Mitssiai.

And that example, that faith outlived them for many years. Now, don’t take this the wrong direction and say, oh, I’ll just do a few little things and everything’s good, right? No, no, I’m not saying to shun bigger things to grow to, but I’m saying the point tonight is don’t shun the little things. We just don’t know when something is big or small, how it will work out in the kingdom. We don’t know the lasting effects. Some small thing we do or don’t do.

5. Everything Is a Big Thing

May have. I talked to brethren who’ve fallen away. Who’ve told me, said, you know, I was going through all that struggle if somebody would have just said something. Some little something. Just some tap on the shoulder to say, you know, we’re with you. Just a few words of a little. They said nobody seemed to care or say anything. See, ultimately, everything is a big thing. Everything is a big thing because the bigger picture is our submission to the Lord. And that’s never a small thing. Regardless of the size of the act, the act is important if faith and obedience is involved, because that is never small. Think about this. Slaves. You know, there were slaves back then. And Paul says, slaves in all things, obey those who are your masters on earth, not with external service as those that merely please men, but with sincerity at heart, fearing the Lord.

Slaves in all things obey those. All things include small things, such as a slave obeying his master. We all want to feel important. We all want to feel special. We all want to feel like we’ve accomplished some great Herculean task. Oh, that I were King Solomon building the temple of the Lord. But instead, here I am a slave taking out the garbage for an unremarkable master. But before the Lord, it’s all important because it involves your faithfulness and submission to the will of God. It’s not just about the task at hand, it’s about your character. It’s about your faithfulness, it’s about your integrity. And those are never small things. I have a friend in the Lord, he’s retired now, but he was in the Air Force, and he had a very remarkable career in the Air Force.

Remember, he told me one time one of the keys to that was whatever job he was given, even if he didn’t like it that much, or it seemed kind of beneath him. Whatever job he was assigned to, as far as he was concerned, that was the most important job in the Air Force. And he treated it like the most important job in the Air Force. And over time, people recognize that. And he was promoted repeatedly. All things are important, even the small things. Children. Children, be obedient to your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord. All things includes small things. Well, young one thinks, I just don’t see the big deal about making my bed and cleaning my room. I understand, I still don’t.

I’m just going to sleep in it again anyway. I never could get that, and my mom was always after me. The point isn’t simply about making your bed and cleaning a room. It’s about obedience and duty and personal character. One of the most important things you can learn as a young person is just how good and right it is to do the job you’re given and to do it well and take it seriously, even if it’s a simple, almost pointless little job. And to take satisfaction in that and knowing that you are pleasing God in that. Learn that lesson, and you will not learn laziness and sloth, but instead will learn dedication and perseverance and responsibility. And keep it up, and you will likely get promoted in jobs that you work, because your ethic will be recognized.

In the military, let me ask you this. Is it really important for a soldier to keep his boots shined and his bed made neatly? You know, they learn it about military. You’ve got to make that bed exactly right, and everything has to be exactly right. That has nothing specifically to do with how well someone fights in a battle now, does it? But it’s important. Because it’s part of a bigger picture of character and ethics and attention to detail and following instructions. Which, at least indirectly, does have something with how the soldier fights in a battle. 1 Corinthians 9 25, Paul says, and everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we in an imperishable.

All things includes small things. To the serious athlete, there are no small things in his training. Sleep schedule, diet, habits. All quite mundane. But it all adds up to something bigger. The professional and successful athlete, although presently in the spotlight, making the big bucks and signing autographs, started training when he was just a child. And what led to his big performance now as a pro was thousands of days of doing little things faithfully, reliably, over and over, day after day, practicing the smallest techniques and fundamentals, often alone, often unnoticed, until he got them right. Small things. Add up. All big things are made up of a bunch of smaller things. David, slain of Goliath, was preceded by a thousand days of being a shepherd out there by himself, no attention, no glory, just developing character and faith while quietly and reliably tending to sheep.

You see, there is a proving ground involved in the small things. Little things pave the road to much bigger things. And when you look at our spiritual lives, all of these spirit of small things we need to be doing and doing well and doing faithfully, add up to who you are before the Lord. And where you will stand when you stand before him on the day of eternity. You see, your character is made up of a lot of small things. A lot of practice at doing small things enables you to do big things. And those things define your character. Paul says, as we know in Philippians 4, verse 13, I can do all things through him who strengthens me. All things includes small things. Maybe thinking about some big things you’re going to try to do, but can you also do the small things?

Are you doing the small things? Titus 2, verse 7, and all things, show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with purity and doctrine, dignified it, dignified. All things include small things. Even in small things, show yourself to be an example of good deeds. Even in small things, show purity. All things include those small things. Don’t just wait for big things. Be example, be an example even in the little things. Don’t wait just for a big moment when everybody’s looking. Be faithful daily, even in little things, when no one but the Lord is watching. Give attention to all things that you may be right before him. Would you turn it to Matthew chapter 25? Matthew chapter 25.

6. Little Things Do Matter

Matthew 25, verse 31. But when the Son of Man comes in his glory and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne, and all the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep on the right and the goats on the left. Then the king will say to those on his right, come, you were blessed by my father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was a stranger and you invited me in.

And the king will answer and say to them, Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of mine, even the least of them, you did it to me. The deeds that Jesus commends here don’t seem all that big, do they? A little hospitality, a little visit, kind words, some food, a helping hand. And yet these small things are smoking up as spoken of here. Think about it. These small things are presented here as the fault line between the righteous and the wicked. When done in his service, these small things seem to be a dividing line. We know about those in Matthew 7 who, you know, Lord, Lord, did we not do big things? We prophesied in your day, we cast out demons, we did all these big, big things, and Jesus said, You are not faithful to me.

Even though you did some big things, you were not faithful to me. These people here, they were faithful. And you notice the one that did these that did these small things, what did they think about him? They didn’t think they were that big. They had to stop and think. Now, what is this about again? Their humility, their love, their devotion led them to undertake such works without comprehending how big they were. They weren’t thinking, oh, that’s not big enough. They were thinking this needs to be done. I need to do this. This is important. I need to serve in this way. And here they’re kind of surprised, really. Because they were just doing what they needed to do faithfully, reliably. And meanwhile, we didn’t read all of it.

But those who did not do these small things, they didn’t think they were that big a deal either. They didn’t even bother to do them. They were too small. Their lack of humility and dedication led them to disregard the small things they could have been doing. In Matthew 10, verse 42. And whoever in the name of a disciple gifts to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water to drink. What a little thing. What a little thing to do. Truly, I say to you, he shall not lose his reward. A lot of things we can do, a lot of things that we don’t do because we consider them too small to matter. Surely such little things won’t count before God. Surely such little things won’t do enough, do much to help or encourage that person.

Surely such a little thing won’t be a benefit to me. Wrong, wrong, and wrong again. Little things do matter. They matter to God. They matter to the other person. They matter to yourself. What matters is faithfulness, not the size of the act, right or wrong, in question. What matters, what counts is faithfulness. I’m going to close with a verse up here. And somehow it looks all jumbled up in the next text. See that I’m used to presentations. We have a screen and it’s a different dimension. So I have to convert all these slides, and I thought I had them all worked out, but this I don’t maybe it’ll come out okay. I don’t think so. Oh, it did. Okay, good. It was just the preview there.

Conclusion

The words were all jumbled up, and I was thinking what was going on. Rebuilding the temple. This is where we’ll close tonight, by the way. Rebuilding the temple was a great thing. A big thing, a huge thing to go back after 70 years in captivity. The exiles returned to Jerusalem and they’re going to rebuild that temple. What a huge undertaking. But it began with a small thing. And Zechariah verse 10. Who despises the day of small things? Men will rejoice when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. Great big temple to be rebuilt. Huge project to undertake. But you know where it began? Begin with a simple little plumb line. Who despises the day of small things? May it not be us. May we rejoice in the day of small things.

Small beginnings when things get going. Small acts of faithfulness we need to be doing day after day. Look around you, look at your life, look at needs. And if you’re not doing anything, because you can’t find anything big enough to do, or the big things are too much for you to do, start looking for some little things you can do. And do them and do them well. And you will grow. And you will benefit your brethren. You will benefit your neighbors. And you will grow as a person before the Lord. Rejoice in the day of small things. If we can help you in some way tonight of walking with God, it starts with a small step, perhaps, but then it’s followed by others. If you have not named his name in baptism and had your sins washed away, if you have come to him, but you have strayed, you have turned away, or maybe you’re just struggling, you need a bit of help.

Let that be known. Make that be known. We will love nothing better than assist you in that. If we can help you in some way, please come forward as we stand and sing.