As we said at the commencement of this article series, it was precipitated by a frequently posed question. Many Christians are asking today, “What are we to do?” In light of the fact that we have entered into the biblically predicted perilous times of the last days, many want to know what they and their families should do. 

In this series of articles, we’ve covered priorities we ought to focus on as we enter into the twilight of time. The list we’ve provided is by no means comprehensive, but the things we’ve listed are critical. While there are other things we should do, none are more important than the things we have enumerated. 

Today’s article marks the conclusion of our series.  We’ve turned our attention in these concluding articles to the importance of focusing on small things. We’ve talked about cutting the world down to our size and about living simple lives of devotion to Christ. In this final article, we want to talk about the importance of being faithful to Christ in small things.

The Bible teaches us not to “despise the day of small things” (Zechariah 4:10). In the midst of the glitz and glitter of this fallen world we are prone to believe that the only significant things are spectacular things and that little things are unimportant things. However, the Bible teaches us that we can ill-afford to overlook the significance of small things.

Little things can lead to ruin. According to the wise King Solomon, it is “the little foxes” that “spoil the vines” (Song of Solomon 2:15). The Apostle Paul warned us that it only takes “a little leaven” to “leaven the whole lump” (Galatians 5:9). The lest little pinch of impurity is enough to pollute the pure. 

It only takes a little leak to sink a large ship. A little infection can grow into something lethal. A little spark can start a large forest fire. A little temptation can lead to the ruin of your reputation. A little lustful thought can lead to the ruin of your marriage and home. A little careless word can lead to the ruin of a lifelong friendship. And a little procrastination can lead to the damnation of your immortal soul. 

Not only can little things lead to ruin, but they can also lead to reward. Our Lord taught that giving a little “cup of cold water” to “little ones” would not go unrewarded by Him (Matthew 10:42). Furthermore, He taught that faithfulness “in a very little” would result in no little reward (Luke 19:17).

A large oak comes from a little acorn. All the music heard in the world today comes from twelve little notes. And all the masterpieces seen in the world today come from six little colors.

You never know what spiritual significance or eternal consequence may come out of your faithfulness to God in small things. Whereas we can count the number of seeds in an apple, only God can count the number of apples in a little seed.

In 1858, a Sunday School teacher named Edward Kimball led a young Boston shoe clerk to Jesus Christ. The young shoe clerk, Dwight L. Moody,  became a famous evangelist. In England in 1879, Moody awakened evangelistic zeal in the heart of Fredrick B. Meyer, pastor of a small church. Meyer came to America and while preaching on an American college campus, won a student to Christ named J. Wilbur Chapman. Chapman, while engaged in YMCA work, employed a former baseball player named Billy Sunday to do evangelistic work. Sunday, after becoming a famous evangelist, held a successful revival in Charlotte, North Carolina. Afterward, a group of businessmen were so enthusiastic that they planned another evangelistic campaign, bringing to Charlotte the well-known Jewish evangelist, Mordecai Hamm. During Hamm’s revival in Charlotte, a young man came forward and gave his life to Jesus Christ. The young man’s name was Billy Graham.

All of this came from a Sunday School teacher’s faithfulness to witness to a young man he was burdened for in his Sunday School class. It may have appeared at the time to be a very small thing, but it turned out to be of immense importance. When he went that fateful day long ago to share his faith with a young Boston shoe clerk, Edward Kimball had no idea of how God was about to use him to impact our world for Jesus Christ.

The Bible teaches us that Christ is often found in small and ordinary things rather than in spectacular an extraordinary things! For instance, it was not in the mighty wind, earthquake or fire that the Prophet Elijah found God, but in the still small voice (1 Kings 19:11-13). Likewise, it was not in Jerusalem, the celebrated place, but in Galilee, the common place, where the disciples were told they would find the resurrected Christ (Matthew 28:7). 

In his Christian classic, The Practice of His Presence, Father Lawrence teaches that God is found in the ordinary things of our everyday lives. According to Father Lawrence, we should do everything we do, regardless of whether it is some great endeavor or some menial task, as though we are dong it for Christ and for the glory of God. Such a philosophy of life did not originate with Father Lawrence. It was introduced long ago by the Apostle Paul. 

• “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men.” (Colossians 3:23)
• “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31)

Like Father Lawrence, Elizabeth Barret Browning also understood the Christ of the common place; that is, she too understood that the resurrected Christ is most often found in life’s common things. This explains why she penned the following poem.

Earth's crammed with heaven,

And every common bush afire with God,

But only he who sees takes off his shoes;

The rest sit round and pluck blackberries.

Don’t be a “blackberry picker.” Don’t go through your ordinary daily life failing to see the resurrected Christ in common things. Instead, take off your shoes, realizing that common places are sacred places when you are aware of Christ’s presence and that ordinary tasks are extraordinarily significant when performed by you for the glory of God.