Remember This When You Feel Small

Do you ever wonder if your mothering matters? If your grandparenting has influence? If your ministry has impact?

The diapers and discipline, the prayers you pray for your grandchildren, the people you serve as you fund raise or teach or write or show hospitality … do your efforts seem small? Do the tasks seem unimportant?

They are not.

For years I’ve been part of a women’s group that reads through the Bible in a year. Our discussions are free wheeling. Once, as we discussed First Samuel, Lynn wondered how David knew exactly what was going to happen when he fought Goliath–he called it just like it happened.

Linda suggested that perhaps God had told him ahead of time.

I said I wasn’t sure about that. Maybe David knew a stone to the head might knock Goliath down and out but not necessarily kill him. And cutting off the head of one’s enemy seems not to have been uncommon.

But Goliath losing his head is not the point of me telling you this story.

There was a bit of quiet. Then Linda said, “You know, David had all of Saul’s heavy armor at first, and then he went with just those few stones. It made me think of the feeding of the five thousand. Where Andrew found the little boy with the few loaves and fishes, and then he said, ‘But what good is that with this huge crowd?’ ” (John 6:9).

She went on: “With Jesus, that little bit of food was enough. With God, David’s few stones–just one was enough.”

I’ve been thinking about this. How shocked the disciples must have been when those loaves and fishes just kept multiplying. How convinced David was that he was facing off with Goliath in God’s power and for God’s reputation.

I have often felt “not enough.” Small. Others are smarter, wiser, more clever, more financially stable, making more of a contribution.

But our expectations can deceive and derail us if they aren’t God’s expectations. The disciples’ expectations on that grassy hillside were all wrong. And the expectations of the noisy, notice-me crowd around us will cheerfully chomp us to pieces. Goliath certainly thought he’d devour David.

So I want to remember this the next time I feel small: God works with small offerings and firm faith.

I’ve got those.

And I’m betting you do too.

I’m doing a giveaway over at my blog! Enter to win a copy of a beautiful new book by Glenys Nellist, illustrated by Sophie Allsopp, Love Letters from God–a collection of 18 Bible stories told with wit and fun. CCA contributor Crystal Bowman reviewed the book here. Children will love opening the lift-the-flap letter that goes with each story! To enter, just hop over to DianeStortz.com!