Small Things

Zechariah 4:10

Who despises the day of small things? Men will rejoice when they see the plumb line in the had of Zerubbabel.

Life is a smorgasbord of small things. Everyday choices, seemingly insignificant: routine days, ordinary chores, unremarkable activities. As much as we’d love to do things on a grand scale, measuring success in the eyes of ourselves and others, our own lives often seem rather meaningless. We look at the lives of others who exemplify greatness to us as we plug along with common routines in our workaday world.

But God reminds us not to despise the small things in our lives, and not to measure our actions by the world’s standards, but to use his measuring tool – the plumb line of presence. His measure should be our starting point, where all our activities can branch from.  

Do you allow him to gauge the worth of your routines? What of the apparent interruptions in your day, or the detours that waylay your time? Do you see them as annoyances or divine interventions? I admit that I often see such times as a hindrance to my plans, missing the mark of their relevance.

God reminds us not to despise the small things in our lives. With the power of his plumb line we can let go of our measured expectations and gauges of worthiness and allow our Father to weigh the value of our routines.

Many years ago, I attended the funeral of a mother who had left behind a husband and four children, half grown. This woman wasn’t academically brilliant, or career minded, had never travelled far, and by the worlds, standards may not have amounted to much. But her life had been nothing short of astounding. For you see her faithfulness in the small things, and a commitment to nurture those that God had placed in her path has produced a lasting value.

How many of us look at the lives of people like Mother Theresa with her love of humanity with awe wishing we could be like that, and yet, if you took just one day in the life of Mother Theresa what would it have looked like?

Rising early, dressing, prayer, cleaning, changing filthy dressings, a word here or there for the sick, paying bills, preparing food, cleaning vomit from the steps or feces from the sick, busy till dusk, tired, maybe lonely or discouraged by the endless need. Not a very glorious day by human standards, is it!

But God measures our activities with the plumb line of eternity.

God, thank you, that small things matter to you. Small children, changing diapers, playtimes, preparing meals, paying bills, routine jobs all matter. May they matter to me too Lord. May I use your measure of their worth rather than my own. Forgive me, when I hurry by on the other side of the road without stopping to value the small things that you set before me today. Help me to build upon the plumb line that is you each and every day. Amen.