Little things for giant results
Quite often we place our potential and ability to influence others towards the Kingdom of God in a cold fridge of life because we assume that what God has given us in hand is too little or too small.
' It is very interesting to note that most Bible individuals who were presented as principal characters had very little in their hands to realize the mission God had for them.'
Jesus ,in the book of Matthews 25:14-30, brought us the parables of the talents. And if you read the story closely, you will notice that the main character is the servant who had the least amount of talents. In spite of having only one talent in his account,the lazy servant was presented as the main centerpiece of the story because Jesus wanted to teach us the following:
* ' Even if what you have in hands seems of little value ,in comparison to what others have, you are still required to produce something out of it.'
* ' The little that you have is actually enough to get started on the vision God gave you. And God is not going to add more on the little you already have unless you use it .'
The lazy servant with the least talent was chosen by Jesus as the main character so that all those who complain about having too little in their hands may stop ranting and reconsider the potential of their God-given gifts.
This explains why we can't complain to God in prayers about the size of the tools He gave us and expect Him to enlarge them before we put them to use.
In the story of the talents, the two other servants received an increase only after using what the Master entrusted them with. We cannot freeze the use of our God given gifts and expect God to increase us.
Here is a question:' How sure are you that you will do God's will in the future with more if you currently do nothing with what He has given you in the present?'
Many of the Bible characters who stood out had too little to start with:
* The miracle of the bread multiplication was sponsored by a boy who had only 5 loathes of bread and two fishes (Ref. John 6:9). Yet, there are millions of people who wouldn't financially sponsor the Gospel because they think that what they have in their bank accounts is too little. I say to you: 'start with you have in hand'.
* One day Jesus and his disciples stood in the Temple watching people offering money (Reference Mark 12:41-44). On that day, there were rich people giving their money but the person that stood out was a widow who gave too little in comparison but in the same time everything she had. The sacrifice she made built her a legacy of remembrance in history from which we draw various lessons and inspiration. One of the lessons learned from her sacrifice is the following:' she gave too little in comparison but it was everything she owned. And because of that she built a legacy that endured to this day. We still speak about her throughout the world. Many of us assume that we can build a legacy only if we have a lot. Well, Jesus proves us wrong...if we boldly value and use all the 'little' we have, we can surely build a legacy. The old widow did not hide what she had. Yet, I am sure that if found in her position,many would have been embarrassed to publicly give the same amount she offered.
How many times has the size of the tools in your hand embarrassed you to go public and influence the world?
We get embarrassed to use the little we have when don't value it.
There is no reason to be embarrassed by the size of your tools because it is written: "Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame" (Romans 10:11)
If you believe in God and what He said about your gifts, then you will not be put to shame for using them, even in public as the widow did.
I say to you: ' Don't be embarrassed by the size of your gift. Just go public. And as you do, Jesus is watching you in the same way He watched that widow with witnesses surrounding Him. And as you give, He will mention you. Believe me, when Jesus mentions you, it is enough to build a legacy.
Jesus loved referring to the little things as the source of giant results. He once said: ' “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed that a man planted in his field. Although it is the smallest of all seeds, yet it grows into the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.” (Matthew 13:31-33)
He also said: '“Because you have so little faith,” He answered. “For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." (Matthew 17:20)
There is a reason why Jesus uses the size of a mustard seed as a standard minimum to accomplish great things and as an analogic root of the Kingdom of Heaven: 'so that no one minimizes or despises their faith and gifts regardless of their size'.
What do you think of me?
You may think that I started teaching the word of God on TV or on fancy platforms... But in reality, God trained me in the little things. He trained me to share and teach the Gospel while in possession of too little. He trained me to start my consulting practice with way too little.
I had to be faithful in the little things before being elevated. I was trained to minister with little time because I was holding a job. I was trained to share the Gospel with no money and yet Jesus messages through me reached thousand of people online. I was trained to start my business with too little after being retrenched from my job over a phone call...
Most of the time when God gave me a vision, there was too little in hand...and I am grateful for it because God's way of doing things has built my character and destroyed seeds of reliance on material abundance.
Though He blesses me, abundance is not the foundation of my ability to do God's will. I was trained in the little things. I have faith.
As a result of this rigid training, even if it could occur in the future that I lose what I gained, I will still be able to stand and do God's will.
The advantage of moving from 'too little' to 'much abundance' is this: 'when people abandon you in time of abundance, when the world will turn its back against you...You will know how to stand with the little remaining.'
Do you remember when you started your ministry? You were the pianist and the preacher and the bus driver for your community. if people leave you, for whatever reason, you will still be able to drive the bus, sing the worship and preach!
Do you remember how you started your business with too little? You were working as the CEO,the secretary and the accountant yourself...Now your company may have grown into something bigger...But if it happens that you lose all your staff and immovable capital, you will remember where you came from and you will be able to re-start with the little in hands.
Value the little you have. Go public with it, unashamedly. Christ is with you.