LITTLE IS BIG

Funny how we think big things are important. Not too many people want a small house, but when the tax man comes or the utility bill arrives we wish for smaller footage or when the house needs sided or painted we then question our judgment in the need of a big house. When we had four kids we needed a big house, but as our numbers got emptier so did our nest. We have been conditioned by the world to think bigger, stronger, faster, etal is better, but not so in God. In God little is big. All you have to do is look at all of the examples in the Bible compare size to ability and function. David a little (at age 16) ruddy shepherd boy stood before a man standing 9 feet 8 inches and defeated him in battle and who can ever forget the example Jesus gave of the mustard seed? Did you know one almost microscopic mustard seed can grow into a bush over seven feet tall and as thick as a bird’s nest? In God size does not matter (even little is big), but what matters is how we do things do. Do we do things (even for God) with the right heart condition, with the right attitude, and for the right reason with the right motives? This is what God is looking at not our size, ability, or even power He gives us. Even our faithfulness is closely scrutinized in this area. In Luke we read of Jesus teaching the disciples, “He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. 11If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? 12And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man’s, who shall give you that which is your own?” (Luke 16:10-12) Did you get that? “He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much.” God is closely examining us not in the big things, but in the little things because God knows little is big and if we can be faithful in the little things then we will be faithful in the big things. Now the opposite of this truth is true. If we are unfaithful in the big things we will be unfaithful in the little things, those things we think are insignificant, but did you know the smaller the issue in our lives the closer God is examining and inspecting it. If we have not been faithful with “unrighteous mammon” (money, treasure, and wealth) who will commit to our trust the true riches (peace of mind, health, hope, salvation, wisdom, righteous judgment, etc.) which are not earthly money and wealth what we seem to go after hard in our lives. Who can give us these things: peace of mind, health, salvation, wisdom, righteous judgment if not God? No man can give us rest in a storm or peace of mind when all seems hopeless. Only God can give unto us these riches these “true” treasures that will keep us steady and sure when all seems lost. Who can give you “your own” if not God? But to get “your own” (from God) you first must be faithful with another man’s. A steward is someone who manages another man’s money and resources. Often times before God can trust us with “our own” we first must be scrutinized by God how we handle another’s man stuff. Now please notice it did not say another man’s car or house, but it was left unqualified leaving us the option of filling in the blank. Make no mistake unless we can be faithful to care for another man’s house God will not give to us our own house. When we came back from Germany we rented a home for seven years and we purposed to care for this home like it was ours, nay better than our own home because the condition is if we want our own home (which we have a very nice home now) we must take care of another man’s. I hear many Christians pray for a home, well again the condition is to take care of whatsoever you are staying in first and then God will decide when you are to have your own home. This little is big in God really reaches all walks of our Christian living. We often think the crown goes to the winner race of the race because they are the biggest, fastest, strongest, or best looking well that is not what God is looking at nor it is the way God awards His prizes. In 2 Timothy we read how God awards His prizes. “No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. 5And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.” (2 Timothy 2:4-5) Now the word “lawfully” (Strong’s #3545) is an interesting word that means within the framework of the law or the way things ought to be done. In God the crown is awarded to the victor (at the end of the race) to the one that runs the race within the framework and rules of the race. It does not matter if you are the best and brightest, the biggest (remember little is big), or the most beautiful it does not matter, the reward is given to the one who runs the race according to how the race is to be run. Jeremiah tells us not to glory in our own wisdom, in our own might, or in our own riches. “Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: 24But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.” (Jeremiah 9:23) This is why we must not trust in our wisdom and glory (God gets all the glory, His glory) nor in our might, but trust in the LORD with all of our might and lean not to our own understanding. God does not delight in beauty, strength and power (He gives them to us), but He does delight (when we possess these character traits) in lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. We often think just because God is using us to minister to 1000s even 10,000s of people around the world He is happy with us, well that is so far from the truth. You can ask Samson, Jonah, and the list can go on if God was happy with them. Just because God is using us does not mean He is happy with our character. I have lost great relationships with people (whom I truly love) because I have dared to speak up about character flaws they have asked me about. Take heed not to tell the truth (if you value their friendship) to someone who cannot handle the truth. I would recommend trying to find another way to answer their question without lying. I never found the words and counted on 30 years of knowing each other (as we traveled many places in the world in ministry) to cover any offense I might have caused, but in the end I lost the relationship and others who have had their heart poisoned against me by half truths. You will know you are in the right when someone uses Scripture to justify themselves and deceiving others to shun you. Know this I rest in the truth and knowing I still love them no matter what happens I can sleep at night, look at myself in the mirror in the morning, and thank God for another day where my “friends” will look toward reconciliation. The longer I go with God I see the great wisdom of the Book of James. James has a lot to be said about the tongue, offense, and issues that divide out the Body of Christ. In the first Chapter James writes, “My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. 2For in many things we offend all.” (James 1:3) WOW “in many things we offend all.” Now there are just some people no matter what you do and say will be offended with you these you just have to let go of and let God deal with them, but here James was talking about the rational thinking people you may offend. Even here little is big. James is saying it is best to be little in doing and saying things (not involved with a lot of things) we then will not have the opportunity to easily offend. “Brethren be not many masters” or do not have a lot people under you in business or even at church because we will be held to a higher standard by God in how (not what) we handle them. The folly of thinking more and bigger is better is exposed. God created us to live our lives focused on Him. His purpose from the very beginning was that we should be “God-conscious,” not “self-conscious.” Until Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil they were so unconscious of self that they did not even consider their own nakedness. But after their disobedience they became fully aware of themselves and wanted to hide from God. Their focus had shifted from God to self. Self-consciousness is just another way of saying self-centeredness and self-centeredness really is the root of all grief. People grieve or are unhappy for a lot of reasons. But, if they analyze it they would find that it is always the result of self being deprived of a want, so too here little is big. The more we make little things bigger than what they really are the more we will get off track and there is nothing little about that.