The Small Stuff…

Who despises the day of small things? – (Zechariah 4.10a)

In their book, God Is in the Small Stuff and It All Matters: Stop Worrying and Invite God into the Details of Your Life, authors Bruce Bickel and Stan Jantz tackle questions like, “Should we ‘bother’ God by asking Him for little things – like a parking spot?” Bruce and Stan use biblical wisdom and humor to remind us that God cares deeply about every detail in our life, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem to us or to others…

As the apostle Peter says, “Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about what happens to you.” – (1 Peter 5.7, NLT; see also Matthew 6.25-34; 10.29-30) Knowing this truth about God is a huge blessing and can make a big difference in the way we live!

The world loves the big and spectacular. God has proven that He is certainly capable of the extraordinary (Genesis 1.1), but He never overlooks the ordinary and seemingly insignificant… you know – the small stuff.  In fact, God often chooses to work in and through the small stuff to demonstrate His love and His power.

Throughout history, God's answer to a critical time was to send a baby. Isaac, Moses, Samuel, and John the Baptist were all born as answers to a time of need.

When God delivered the Israelites from the Midianites' oppression, He intentionally used an army of merely three hundred men to defeat a vastly larger army. He had more soldiers available, but He preferred to demonstrate His power in the way He accomplished His purposes.

When Jesus selected His first disciples He could have enlisted a multitude to follow Him, but He chose twelve – ordinary guys. It was not the number of disciples but the quality of their walk with Him that would determine how they affected their world. Later, following Jesus’ death, burial, resurrection, and ascension, we read this testimony regarding two of those twelve…

“When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.” – (Acts 4.13)

When Jesus fed a multitude, five loaves of bread and two fish from a boy's lunch were sufficient in the hands of the Lord. Jesus compared the kingdom of God to a mustard seed (Matthew 13.31-32). The mustard seed was the smallest seed known to the Jews, yet it grew into an enormous tree. He also likened God's kingdom to leaven that is hardly noticeable but raises the entire batch of dough (Matthew 13.33).

When children came to Jesus, His disciples assumed they were an annoyance and chased them off (Matthew 19.13-15). But Jesus said that in order to enter His kingdom, people must approach God as a small child[1]. Now when you think about it, that’s how God ultimately entered our world… as a small child… that’s the most amazing thing of all… our Creator – God…

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. – (John 1.1-3)

For by Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by Him and for Him. – (Colossians 1.16)

…humbled Himself…

Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death – even death on a cross! – (Philippians 2.6-8)

…and He entered our flesh and blood world at just the right time – through the womb of a young virgin…

“But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.” – (Galatians 4.4.-5)

Since the children have flesh and blood, He too shared in their humanity so that by His death He might destroy him who holds the power of death – that is, the devil – and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. – (Hebrews 2.14-15)

…born in a small, obscure village…

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.” – (Micah 5.2, NKJV)

…as a tiny, helpless infant to answer our greatest need… salvation from our sins and an eternal inheritance with Him…

An angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins." – (Matthew 1.20-21)

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped Him in cloths and placed Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. – (Luke 2.4-7)

The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only Begotten, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. – (John 1.14)

Who would have thought of accomplishing the biggest and greatest work of all time – the redemption and reconciliation of a world of sinners to a holy God – with such small, humble, seemingly insignificant beginnings? Who but God!

Who would have thought that long ago so very far away,
A little child would be born and in a manger laid.
And who would have thought this little child was born the King of Kings,
The son of just a carpenter, but for whom the angels sing.

And who would have thought this little child was who the prophets said,
Will return to judge the world, the living and the dead.

Oh, can’t you see that long ago so very far away,
This little child, our only hope, was born a King that day.

Yet in the midst of this darkness there is a hope, a light that burns.
This little child, the King of Kings some day will return.[2]

Christians often accept the adage “bigger is better.” We often measure success by the number of people involved in our ministry or the size of the attendance at our church gatherings. We seek spectacular displays of God's power. And it's awesome to rejoice in the big things; God wants us to do that. We must certainly not forget to be thankful for the times people are healed from cancer or when a natural disaster strikes without causing injury. But we can't forget about how God works in the little things either… like the times that He heals us from the flu just in time to take our final exam… or when we are so overwhelmed with friendships because God has blessed us with so many friends.

When we think about God, we tend to think of His magnificent power. But, we forget about His attention to intricate detail, which includes all the small stuff. God wants us to rejoice in the big and small; from the vast universe to a baby taking her first steps. We must learn to view success as God does. He is interested in the heart; He is pleased with obedience… to God – that’s the big stuff…

Okay, enough already… just remember, good things (God things) often come in small packages, so don’t overlook or sweat the small stuff, ‘cause a little is never small stuff when it’s in God’s hands… like that small band of ordinary guys Jesus chose as His messengers to the world… they “turned the world upside down.”[3] – (Acts 17.6b, NKJV)

Have a very Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year!

In a nutshell – in Him,

Web Shepherd

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[1] Greek: paidiðon (Paidion, pronounced pahee-dee'-on), meaning a small, young child, a little boy, a little girl, infants.  Thayer and Smith. Greek Lexicon entry for Paidion. The New Testament Greek Lexicon.
http://www.studylight.org/lex/grk/view.cgi?number=3813.

[2] "This Little Child." Words and Music by Scott Wesley Brown, © 1981 Sparrow Song/Cherry River Music Co., BMI

[3] There are probably no bigger opportunities to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with others than during the Christmas holiday season – a time devoted by many to the recognition that God’s plan to save humankind had it’s earthly beginnings with a small baby - Emmanuel; and there has probably been no one who’s life and work has been used more to bring the gospel of Christ to more people than the apostle Paul (who’s name means “little”)… the small stuff.