The Importance of Little Things
“For who hath despised the day of small things?” (Zechariah 4:10). The first responses after the jet at George Bush Intercontinental Airport made a successful belly landing were, “What a pilot! What a crew! What a heroic effort!” The investigation later revealed that the landing gear had not been deployed. Whoever was responsible for executing a very little lever or pressing a small button, forgot this little thing that could have cost precious human life.
When I taught college, I found the difference between the excellent student and the average student or sometimes between passing and failing was the attention given to the rather small details. The one who took modest notes in class, had no problem with the tests. In junior high and high school one can ace every test, but if he ignores the daily work, he fails.
Michelangelo said, “Trifles make perfection and perfection is no trifle.” Why are little things so important?
1. Life is made up of little things.
Little opportunities, little segments of time make a life. Although we often measure time in years, we have to go through three hundred sixty-five days before we get there. All that it takes to waste a lifetime is to keep wasting days at a time. All it takes to make a success out of life is to invest enough winning days and eventually time will take its course. “I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all” (Ecclesiastes 9:11).
The Bible tells us that God is no respecter of persons. I like the old song that says, “It is no secret what God can do; what He’s done for others, He’ll do for you.”
2. Little things add up.
Paul J. Meyer said, “Most time is wasted, not in hours, but in minutes. A bucket with a small hole in the bottom gets just as empty as a bucket that is deliberately kicked over.”
It is easy to become lethargic and fatalistic about your off time or your leisure hours. What are we saying when we say “I’m bored”? What are we saying when we say, “What a wasted day”? Are there not enough good books that have not been read, good deeds that haven’t been done, and noble prayers that have not been prayed? As Zechariah 4:10 says, “For who hath despised the day of small things?” One of my great delights when I’m traveling is to be given an hour or two delay when I’ve got a good book to read. What a blessing; no interruptions!
G. K. Chesterton considered, “When it comes to life the critical thing is whether you take things for granted or take them with gratitude.” Little things add up.
“Little drops of water, little grains of sand, make the mighty ocean and the mountain stand.”
3. Little things are big in heaven.
God is watching us, contemplating our activities and the Bible says, “For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:14).
All those little things will be re-evaluated when we stand before Christ in heaven. “…For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ” (Romans 14:10).
Every tear that we shed for Christ and His work seem to become an ocean of praise in heaven. “He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him” (Psalm 126:5, 6).
How big is a teardrop? Large enough to be recognized and valued by God! “Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?” (Psalm 56:8). God has kept a record of every broken heart and tear that fell from your eyes.
Have you ever wondered about those secret prayers that you thought were useless and unprofitable to pray? Take heart; God’s Word says in heaven there are “…golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints” (Revelation 5:8). God cares and keeps careful records on every little thing. The only conclusion we can come to is, little things are important.
- Pastor Pope -