There were 5,000 men to feed. The disciples had no food and were at a loss about how to handle the big problem.
Peter explained, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” (John 6:9)
Such a little amount seemed unimportant to the disciples. The feeling of the disciples is among us today. We look around and see the little that we have and think we are helpless. We have only a little talent. We only have a little money. We only have a little time. If only we had more we could do something.
God warned the Jews not to despise “the day of small things.” (Zechariah 4:10) Small things sometimes make big differences.
There is a true story of a man who got up one morning and put on a new pair of shoes. On the way to work he developed a blister on his foot. He stopped at the store to by a Band-Aid. The little stop made him late. It was the morning of September 11, 2001 and he worked at the World Trade Center. He is alive today because of a little thing.
In a circular called “Little Things” several more stories like this are revealed around September 11.
“The head of one company got in late that day because his son started kindergarten. Another fellow is alive because it was his turn to bring doughnuts. One woman was late because her alarm clock didn’t go off in time. One’s car wouldn’t start. One had a child that dawdled and didn’t get ready as soon as he should have.” All these people lived because of the effect of “little things.”
Little things make big differences. A little prayer time each day, a little time in the Word, a little giving, a little kindness, all these make you a great person. Everything starts with something little, but often ends in something big. With God’s help, the little boy and the five little loaves of barley bread and two little fish were able to feed 5,000 men plus women and children.
Do something little today. It will be huge tomorrow.
~Lonnie Davis
March 13, 2011