Little Things Matter

Luke 16:10 (CSB)

“Whoever is faithful in very little is also faithful in much, and whoever is unrighteous in very little is also unrighteous in much.”

There is a human ideal that is particularly American often deduced from this verse that if we prove ourselves with little assignments, our industry and trustworthiness will springboard us to bigger and better things. That is not the intent of the words of Jesus, however, as He is observing that character is the focus, not the size of the task. Surrendering to the will of our Father in any matter does not put us on some sort of spiritual probation to ensure Him that He made the right choice by giving us the job in the first place.

Big things and little things are defined by God in terminology foreign to earthly understanding. Whatever God asks of us is always big enough in His divine estimation to make the request at all. When we obey the Lord in any endeavor, we should never seek to evaluate the size or determine its significance. What may seem to be small and unnoticed by human comprehension remains compelling and consequential because it is always the right undertaking. Simply stated, doing the right thing is always the right thing to do.

Big Decisions About Little Things

In 1989, Pam and I were serving on staff in Rochester, Michigan in the northern suburbs of Detroit. One of the young couples in our church, Lisa and Michael (not their real names), caused a great deal of excitement throughout the congregation when they announced that Lisa was pregnant with their first child. The joy associated with new life was shared by every member of our family of faith. Lisa’s face positively glowed with newfound happiness. Michael held his shoulders back and his head high at the prospect of fatherhood.

As part of her prenatal care, Lisa was given a non-evasive test that yielded a startling diagnosis for their tiny baby. Disorders were discovered yielding little hope that their child, if successfully carried to full term and born without complication, would be able to live a normal, healthy life. Lisa and Michael now faced the real possibility that Lisa would miscarry, and if she did not, that they would be responsible for the arduous care and financial burden that their newborn would necessitate.

The incomparable thrill of the birth of a new family was abruptly displaced by this insidious, dark, and disheartening report. Adding to the agony and devastation brought on by the test’s analysis, these dear young people were further anguished to be advised that their “best option” was to abort now and to try again later. They were both healthy people, and there was little concern that such a condition would recur.

LET THAT SINK IN.

Lisa and Michael went to her doctor for a routine checkup. Now, without warning, every health provider in whom they had placed their trust was persistently counseling them to dispose of this one, little, insignificant life and create another one. It is beyond our language to describe the pure grief and confusion overwhelming them in the moment.

Where Will This Lead?

A great challenge we face with being faithful servants of the Lord is the strong human need to know exactly where our obedience will take us before we make our solemn commitment to step out in faith. We want, no, we need to know that the payoff in the end will be worthy of our sacrifice. We search our hearts and scan our horizons for evidence of such outcomes. However, future results must never serve as our motivation to obey the Word of God, to listen and to heed the voice of our Shepherd, and to follow the plain path of the Holy Spirit.

Knowledge must never supersede morality.

Practicality must never overshadow righteousness.

The conflict raged brutally on. The pressure was severe. The warnings of a bleak and uncertain future were forceful, passionate, and relentless. Michael and Lisa, however, carried certainty in determining their decision. The will of their Lord was indelibly inscribed in their hearts, and it spoke a better testimony than modern medical procedure. “It’s just a fetus! You can make another,” the wisdom of the day argued. But the young parents heard an emphatic exclamation resounding from within their spirits crying more vigorously:

“Choose Life! Choose Life! Choose Life!”

The months that followed can be accurately described as the “valley of the shadow of death” for this beloved couple. At every appointment and every milepost during the pregnancy they were reminded of a grim future and of the sadistic solution still available to them. But Michael and Lisa chose to trust the rod of protection and the staff of direction assuring them that their Shepherd was closer than ever, especially in this darkness and gloom. They protected the little life hidden in Lisa’s womb because that little life needed their protection.

2 Kings 11:1-3 (ESV)

“Now when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the royal family. But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the king’s sons who were being put to death, and she put him and his nurse in a bedroom. Thus they hid him from Athaliah, so that he was not put to death. And he remained with her six years, hidden in the house of the LORD, while Athaliah reigned over the land.”

The treacherous and evil Queen Athaliah satisfied her rise to rule by slaughtering her family! One grandson, the infant Joash, and his nurse were spared by the righteous and clandestine actions of a princess. At the risk of her own peril through circumstances that would prove suspenseful as any fictional plot ever conceived, Jehosheba somehow managed to slyly spirit the tiny baby from the royal residence to the safe house of the Lord where he would attract no attention from nosy neighbors or prying eyes.

This “valley of the shadow of death” lasted six, prolonged, ominous, years! The tumultuous events of those years were front page news. No one was truly safe from the violence, chaos, and unspeakable evils of the wicked queen. What the resulting fallout would bring was anyone’s guess. History reports to us that Joash was crowned king at age seven and ruled in Jerusalem forty years doing what the Bible describes as “right in the eyes of the Lord.” Princess Jehosheba, however, was not privy to that information when she provided for the care, nurture, and education of one little boy.

Jehosheba protected this one child because this one child needed protection.

Without the luxury of clear foresight, Jehosheba did the right thing because it was the right thing to do. She was not motivated for the sake of the nation’s future but for the current value of one tiny life. She was not moved by the spectacular size of the possibilities, but by her compassion for a little baby worth saving. Jehosheba had no reason to suspect that the future would improve because of her good work, or that it would be significant in any way. She just did what needed to be done.

Michael and Lisa faced a future of financial hardship and personal sacrifice to save one unknown unborn child. Even so, they were convinced that this one life was priceless in the eyes of the Lord without regard to the future. This child was knitted together by God’s holy hands and deserved to receive strength, security, and safety from his parents.

You should know, Lisa gave birth to a beautiful, healthy girl who today has a family of her own. This does not alter the fact that this phenomenal conclusion was unknown, unexpected, and unimportant to Lisa and Michael in choosing life for her. No one ever accused the hospital of a missed diagnosis choosing rather to rejoice with thanksgiving to God for the blessing of this perfect child.

Our Little Thing to Do

Jesus left a task for all people of authentic faith: “Pray.”

It may seem to be a small matter, probably because of our incessant need to see immediate, positive results. Notwithstanding, this charge remains our righteous responsibility. Unfortunately, demographers report that most serious, committed, and mature Christians do not practice intercessory prayer on any regular basis. While they may use prayer as a gateway for personal meditation and centering of life, they do not accept the challenge of bold, persistent prayers on behalf of the Father’s will on earth.

It is remarkable to think that our words spoken in secret to God are endued with the power to push back darkness, change the lives of people we love, and cause the will of God to be accomplished on the earth just like it is in Heaven. When Jesus taught us to pray, He taught us to pray in exactly this way. And He never backed down from His appeal to us:

““And if you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” (Matthew 21:22)

“So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Luke 11:9-10)

“Therefore I tell you, everything you pray and ask for– believe that you have received it and it will be yours.” (Mark 11:24)

“Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.” (John 14:13-14)

“If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you.” (John 15:7)

Tyler Stanton, in his book, Praying Like Monks; Living Like Fools, wrote: “If we believed these invitations and the sort of prayer Jesus taught, the church wouldn’t want to do anything but pray!” The reality we face, though, is the constant need to urgently encourage faithful believers to accept this sacred work. It is rarely necessary to set up extra chairs for a prayer meeting.

Looking for the Big Impact

Visiting ministries and missionaries to our congregations routinely present opportunities for us to support their work. Without exception, the highest priority need is placed upon intercessory prayers. When we hear this request, a little voice that goes off in our minds saying, “Yes, yes, of course, but what can I do that will really be effective? How much do you need?”

Every day we see the whitened fields of lost souls all around us for which Jesus gave us clear instruction:

““Therefore, pray to the Lord of the Harvest to send out workers into his harvest.”

Shall we evaluate this command as too small to obey? Can we not grasp the concept that, by obeying this mandate to pray, we ourselves become laborers in His harvest? Is the truth that the Lord God desires our partnership in His plans and purposes via our prayers too little to merit our participation?

Take Up Your Cross of Prayer

· You are not responsible for the future. You are responsible with what God entrusts to you today.

· It is unreasonable for you to measure the worth or potential of obedience. It is reasonable to recognize the need immediately on the path ahead and meet it to the best of your ability.

· You cannot allow yourself to become distracted from your assignment with anything that appears larger in scope and significance.

· You are not sent to calculate the weight of the darkness. You are to shine as the light of the world from within your heart.

· Without Jesus, you can do nothing, but with Him, anything and everything is possible.

There is nothing more vital to the Kingdom of God than your obedience:

Without doubt,

Without debate,
Without delay.