Little Things for God

I'll be honest: when I hear about people like Katie Davis, I feel guilty. At 24, she is the mother of 13 orphaned Ugandan children. She has also started a child sponsorship program, a feeding program, and a vocational program for women. She also wrote a book, "Kisses from Katie" and started her own organization, Amazima Ministries International. Ya know, I'm also 24. And my list of life accomplishments isn't nearly that impressive. 

In fact, I live in little Beulah, North Dakota. I'm a wife and a mom (to one). My involvement in youth ministry and church ministry has drastically declined as I now have a little man to care for and a bedtime to meet. I  missed last summer's mission trip to Haiti, and it doesn't look like I'll be going there or to Africa in the near future. I hang out with middle schoolers for a hour or so on Thursday afternoons, but the Bible teaching doesn't come from me. On Sunday mornings I lead a group of elementary kids in singing songs and dancing around like a hippopotamus. No adopted orphans. No starting feeding programs or sponsorship programs. No book to inspire fellow believers. 

By all appearances, I'm not involved in anything "big"; anything "significant".

As Jordan and I wrestled with a difficult decision over the past weeks - a decision that would definitely lead us down the road of something that appeared "big for God", I was reminded of an Adventures in Odyssey episode I heard back in November. It's called "Something Significant" - and if you're lucky, you may be able to go back in the archives and listen to it for free at www.whitsend.org.  If not, all you need to know is that Trent DeWhite found himself in a similar position as myself: wanting to do something big, something significant, for the sake of the Kingdom. After sending him on an Imagination Station adventure, Mr. Whitaker told Trent - 

"I know you want to make a big difference for God, but often times that means doing the little things, whatever we can do - and letting Him decide if they ever become big. More than anything, He should receive the glory. Because anything good that happens, happens ultimately because of Him." 

Doing the little things. Letting God decide what becomes big. I needed that reminder. God calls me to be faithful with what He has entrusted to me. He has placed upon me a different calling than He has Katie Davis. He has gifted me to do certain tasks, to impact certain people. 

"'It is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them. To one he gave five talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his ability; and he went on his journey. . . Now after a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. The one who had received the five talents came up and brought five more talents . . . His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.''" - Matthew 25:14-15, 19-21 (emphasis mine)

The question is not "What big things will I do for God?"; the question is, "Will I be faithful in the little things God has called me to do?" May we all be faithful . . . no matter how small and insignificant the tasks seems to be.