Big Things

Start small

Sometimes I convince myself that this late adulthood stage of life should be about doing big, noteworthy, and amazing things like starting a non-profit or getting heavily involved with an existing organization that is doing wonderful work for downtrodden people.

But then I come back down to earth and realize that big things are not my thing.

Years ago, my husband and I met Arloa Sutter, the founder of Breakthrough ministries in Chicago, and we were impressed. It has grown to include many avenues of assistance, education, health care, housing and spiritual guidance for those who need a hand. This ministry has done much good for many people, and I’m thankful for Arloa, her staff and volunteers who invest their time and energy to improve the lives of others.

Breakthrough, which is a big thing, began in 1992 as a small thing.

Arloa Sutter (began) to serve coffee to adults experiencing homelessness, inspiring a movement to serve the city’s most vulnerable.

I wonder if big things were in Arloa’s mind when she began to do the small thing of serving coffee. She probably had no idea that this was the beginning of a large organization that would be helpful for many people. God took her small thing and turned it into a big thing.

We hear about huge organizations, influential celebrities, important news stories, and it’s tempting to think that it’s only the big things that are important.

Not so fast.

“…for the growing good of the world is partly dependent on unhistoric acts; and…is half owing to the number who lived faithfully a hidden life, and rest in unvisited tombs.”
― George Eliot, Middlemarch

My grandparents were not noteworthy people beyond our family. One grandfather was a Lutheran school teacher and the other a factory worker. My grandmothers both worked at home. But they influenced my parents, their siblings, and their grandchildren in positive ways. They lived faithful hidden lives, and generations to follow are reaping the rewards of their godly lives.

Big things get the world’s headlines, but God is more interested in our small acts of faith. God cares about all the work that he has put before us, whatever that is. I found encouragement in the book of Zechariah, of all places.

Zechariah was written when the Jews returned to Jerusalem, in about 520 BC, after Jerusalem had been trashed and the Hebrews had been taken into exile in Babylon. The Jews planned to rebuild the temple under the leadership of the governor, Zerubbabel. When they started rebuilding, facing external opposition and their own apathy, it probably looked like it would never happen.

Zechariah, a prophet who was writing at that time, said that the word of the Lord came to him:

“Zerubbabel is the one who laid the foundation of this Temple, and he will complete it…Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin…” (Zechariah 4:9-10 NLT) The NIV translation put is this way, “Who dares despise the day of small things?”

It was a small beginning, the people were discouraged, but God was saying that the temple would eventually be finished. God’s purpose would press forward.

Most of us spend our days doing small things, and I believe God delights when we do them out of obedience. Who knows what he has planned for the outcome of our collective small efforts?

In late adulthood you may be wondering if your ideas, plans or projects will ever get off the ground. God says, “Do not despise these small beginnings.” Most of our small things will not be made into thriving businesses or ministries, but whether they succeed or not, God is in them and has a purpose for them.

Who dares despise the day of small things?

The temple was rebuilt back in Zerubbabel’s day, but God’s plan was far from finished. It was just the next step. The people who were discouraged at the small beginning had no idea what would happen 500 years later, when Jesus would come and everything would change. Jesus’s disciples had no idea that Jesus, who did the small thing of working as a carpenter until he was thirty years old, would perform miracles, challenge the religious elites, die and be raised again offering new life to everyone who believes in him.

The rebuilt temple was destroyed in AD 70 by the Romans and has never been rebuilt. There is no need, for the presence of God is no longer in a temple in Jerusalem; God is in his people. Each of us, in our small way, can bring the presence of God into conversations and situations. We have no idea what our small things, small beginnings, will accomplish in God’s hands.

The world gives its attention to the big events, powerful people, and successful businesses, but God does his work through his people who faithfully do small things in his name.

How can we picture God’s kingdom? What kind of story can we use? It’s like an acorn. When it lands on the ground it is quite small as seeds go, yet once it is planted it grows into a huge oak tree with thick branches. Eagles nest in it. Mark 4:30-32 The Message

Big things begin small.

Consider your lives, what you’ve learned and accomplished. Did you realize when you were starting out in your 20s that now in your 60s or 70s you would have achieved so much? Remember that there is still time to do big or small things in faith and obedience.

It’s the rare individual who can run a non-profit like Breakthrough, and I am not one of them, but I believe that my small things, and your small things, are being used for God’s Kingdom purposes.

Be encouraged, and do not despise small beginnings.

Have you done a small thing that had surprisingly big results?

Photo by Alaric Duan on Unsplash

Some of this article was taken from a post I wrote in 2018 in an old blog: Do Not Despise Small Beginnings