Do something small for God!

People are often exhorted to do mighty things for God. To be on fire for God! To change the world for God!

However, most of us don’t do that. Most of us are not Billy Graham or Mother Theresa or Pope Francis. Most of us are just regular people living our lives day to day and trying not to forget God- too often. Do we need to try harder? Does that mean we have let God down?

Actually, I don’t think so.

When you look at what Jesus said and did, the small things matter. Jesus spent most of his life, actually we don’t know what Jesus did for most of his life. We do know some of what he did during the last three years of his life. A lot of it was spent walking around talking to small groups of people. (I know I am ignoring Jesus’ miracles, but miracles are God’s job not ours.) Jesus spent his days with regular folks.

When Jesus talked about the kingdom of God, what did he say it was like? For the most part little things, homely things. When Jesus asked his followers to do things, he asked them to love the people around them. To care for each other.

Nothing big and dramatic. Remember when the devil tempts Jesus he tempts Jesus with big things, like being ruler of the world. Jesus declines and begins walking and talking and eating and healing.

Of course to plan on doing big things for God allows me to put it off. Once I graduate. Once I make X amount of dollars. Once I have a certain position and authority. When I am grown up. When I retire. You recognize the excuses.

The small stuff matters. Cultivating  my tiny mustard seed like faith. Giving someone a cup of water. Being kind to those around me. These things don’t require age, money or authority. We can begin living for the kingdom of God when we are toddlers. Even little children have a place in the kingdom of God.

We are called, each of us to a lifetime of tiny acts. This is one reason the church matters. That community matters. My tiny act and your tiny act and his tiny act and her tiny act- they all add up. They may not add up to a grand earth shaking event, but they might- in fact they will- change the world.

Do something little for God today.