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Thursday, January 12, 2012

The Small Things

Lately I've been working on growing closer to God and bringing glory to Him in the small things. It's easy a lot of times to acknowledge the presence of God when you're at church but what about when you're back at home? What about when you're in line at the grocery store or caught in a traffic jam when late for school or work? What about when you're sitting at the doctors office for several hours waiting long past the scheduled appointment time? What about when you're having to stand behind the old lady at Walmart who takes her sweet little time checking out two buggies full of merchandise in the "20 items or less" lane? Gets a little hard then doesn't it? Then come to think of it...aren't those the situations Jesus saw as huge opportunities to show love to the unloved and compassion to the Ebeneezer Scrooges? Just think about John 4 and the Woman at the Well. I mean yeah He probably wasn't having to wait in line behind the annoying soccer mom who has a bunch of ankle bitters running around the store or had to deal with telemarketers calling His phone all the time...but never the less He still had to deal with rude people and everyday temptations. People spit on Him, beat Him, mocked Him, and in the end crucified Him. He still ministered to the scoffers and the thieves. He invited them to the table and provided for them. He cleaned the unclean and chose to hang out with tax collectors.

"So if there's any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, and affection and sympathy, complete my job by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his or her own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the form as a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
                                                                                                                                   -Philippians 2:1-11

Jesus did all of that and calls me to be more like Him each day. WOW. This is both a huge privilege and responsibility! Why not bring glory to God in the small things? Many times it's the small things that become Big. Have you ever had one of those terrible, horrible, no good, very bad days? We're talking where everything goes wrong...you woke up late and didn't have time to fix your monstrosity of a hairdo. You can't decide on what to wear and in a hurry so you accidentally wear a pair of shoes and sweater that totally break the infamous brown and black rule. You throw your books in your backpack and rush to beat the morning traffic. You show up late to class and find out that there's a pop quiz that started five minutes ago. You forgot to fix coffee and become drowsy and loose focus. You need a writing utensil then realize you have nothing on you but must take the test. Then out of no where a random classmate that you are barely acquainted with hands you their pencil....life saver huh? When you think of the things that changes lives; sitting by the nerd with a comb over, suspenders, braces, and fancy calculator at the lunch table isn't usually what first comes to mind does it? Much less asking the waitress working late at night in a restaurant how she is doing and really meaning it....Or telling a seven year old that she is loved. Or telling a student they make you proud. But it's those "small" things that God uses to change the world for His Kingdom. I was the nerd at the lunch table. I was the girl that was always working job after job and having the worst days imagined. I was the insecure band kid/drummer that was told she made her instructor proud. I was the seven year old that was told I was loved and not only that but by God Himself. Though I did not begin living my life for Christ till I was around age 11; being told that I was loved changed my life Forever.  Heck it's one of the reasons I'm still alive right now. Telling a kid that they are loved when the last thing they've ever seen or heard is love growing up is like being told you just won one million dollars...but even better. Suddenly waiting in line behind old Gertrude with her 50 items that takes for ever to checkout doesn't  seem like such a big deal. Then those everyday mishaps can turn into every day blessings. God has really been showing me a lot on how I can use my time and social skills for His glory and not my own. It's so easy to think you're too busy for ministry and even for God at times... but you aren't. It's the small things that are huge to God, the every day things you do. Those situations and circumstances were placed there in your life for a reason. See the door God has opened and walk through it without the blindfold on. He wants to use you to edify the Kingdom. He wants to use you at work, school, home, walmart, target, chevron, and even the doctor's offices. You never know what awesome things Jesus has up His sleeves for you to do.
 So "Go hard or go home."


Seeking Jesus, walking humbly, and learning daily.