The little things… Why do we even bother with them? Perhaps you’ve had one of those days recently where you felt like you didn’t really accomplish anything much. You were busy all day, but it was just doing a round of little things. Inside you longed to be doing something great and ‘important.’ The Bible has encouragement for just such …because success and greatness is not always measured in the Bible by appearances, but by willingness and faithfulness.

In John chapter 6, we find a situation which calls for something great!  There’s five thousand men. Because Jesus cares for every detail of human comfort, he wants them all fed. Now there’s surely a grand thing to do, if you were rich or if you had a few truck-loads of bread you could supply! But if you had a lunch basket with 5 loaves and 2 small fishes, would you even think of offering your services to Jesus? Here, a lad’s contribution, though it seemed like such a ‘little’ thing, could be truly great when given to the Hands of the Master.

Let’s read the story straight from the Bible:

 “There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many? 

 “And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. 

 “And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would. 

 “When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. 

 “Therefore they gathered [them] together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten. 

 “Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.” John 6:9-1

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Of course, Jesus could have easily performed this miracle without any loaves at all to start with. Jesus' preference, though, seemed to be working with people. What a merciful Saviour, giving the young lad the opportunity of being a part of this! And yet how insignificant the lad’s contributions seems! What does this story teach us? Do the little things. Give, even when it doesn’t seem worthy of notice. Then let God take care of their results. He loves to give us the opportunity of being co-labours with Him now too. "For we are labourers together with God..." 1 Corinthians 3:9 

Today, be encouraged whatever you do, be it ever so humble. God sees. And God gives opportunities today for men and women to be part of the great things He does in the world today. If your part seems small, rest assured, God can bless that little beyond your wildest dreams. He delights in doing exceedingly abundantly about all we ask or think. Whether or not you know the results of how God may have blessed your labour of love in this life, or if you only find out in the life to come, what difference does that make?

So friend, don’t shrink back from the little things in your pathway—little opportunities to share with others, to give to those in need, to be faithful in that which seems least.

“His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.”  Matthew 25:23

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