Small Things

The prophet Zechariah asks a very pointed question: "“Who dares despise the day of small things" (4:10)?  The answer, of course, is "Most of us."  Especially, I think, in this country.  For us bigger is not only better, bigger is important while smaller is less so.

To feel important, we seek a big job with lots of authority, a big paycheck, a big house and a car in the garage with a big price tag.  As Christians, we want to belong to a big church with a big budget and big influence.  If we teach a Bible class, we want big numbers in attendance.

If we host a seminar or a conference or a gospel meeting, we judge its success by the numbers in attendance.  When we evaluate the success of our churches, we begin to check attendance numbers and the number of dollars in the contribution plate.  Big is good, small is bad.  We dare despise the day of small things.

But the truth is, however, size or amount is not the true measure of worth or value.  The apostle Paul said, "I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue" (1 Cor 14:19).  It is quality, not quantity that gives true value.

Which is of more value, to lecture a class of 1,000 people who forget the message before the day is out or to teach a handful of people who drink it in and determine to apply the principles in their lives?   Which do you believe is more pleasing to God, a mega church in the suburbs, where thousands of members come to hear an eloquent sermon and leave a sizable contribution or a small inner-city church that struggles to pat the rent but is daily reaching out to the helpless and the homeless?

In God sight, which has more worth, $10,000 sitting in a bank account or $10 used to buy food for a hungry child?  What would do the most kingdom good, attending 100 seminars on outreach or 1 week on a mission effort?  The number of steps in a journey is not nearly as important as the direction of those steps.  And in Southern imagery, "It's not the size of the dog in the fight, its the size of the fight in the dog."

Rather than concern ourselves with the number or size or amount, we ought to focus on what is right, what is good, what is helpful.  Consider kingdom worth rather than monetary worth, strive to make a difference instead of a name, take the first step (however small) to doing the right thing.  Do what you can with what you have for, as Jesus said: "And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.” (Mt 10:42).  Jus' Say'n.