Great and Small part 5
Sometimes the greatest thing you can do feels like a small thing. A cup of cold water for someone who is thirsty. A ear to listen. A shoulder to cry on. I remember when I worked at a law firm one of my coworkers mentioned that she was hungry. And before I knew it I had given her my cookie. I don't know if I'll ever forget the surprise of gratitude in her eyes. I remember thinking, "It's just a cookie. No big deal." But to her it WAS a big deal. Because when you're hungry... it's hard to focus on anything else until that need is met. And that's where I think we miss it so many times when we're more interested in shoving Jesus down people's throats rather than meeting them where they're at and connecting with them. See, we ARE connected. We are all the (one, singular) body of Christ. But when we understand our ROLE in the body, that's when things begin to manifest. In our lives, and in the lives of others. Ephesians 4:16 says it like this, "From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love." We are joints of supply. Not simply to get what we need for ourselves, but to share what we got. Remember blessed to be a blessing? We are increasing and edifying the whole body... IN LOVE! It's all about love. And look at how we do this: "the effectual working in the measure of every part." I do my part and you do your part. I don't have to--and in fact, I can't--do it all. I can't reach everybody. I'm not for everybody. The things I think, and preach, and write... to some people I'm a kook. I know that. And I accept that. That's why I don't argue about my beliefs. If you ask me, I'll tell you. But I'm not trying to convince anyone of anything. I can present my interpretation of the Bible, I can listen to Daddy and tell you what I think He's saying... but that's all I'm called to do. I feel absolutely no compuction to get you to believe the same way I do. If you do, great. If you don't... I'm gonna love you anyway. That's what matters. Not theology... but the Word (Jesus, love) made flesh. Charity is love in action. And I find that really, practically, I do most of my loving when I'm NOT preaching or writing. I do it when I spend time with people. I've heard it said--I don't agree, but I've heard it said--that the devil is in the details. Well I say, "Love is in the small stuff." I opened this Rant series by quoting a sign I saw in my sister's bedroom, and I think that's how I'm going to close it too. "Do small things with great love." Because when you do small things with great love... they aren't small things anymore. They're great things. Joints of supply take what they have and share it. That's our responsibility: to receive and release the love of God. To love one another as Jesus loves us. To meet the needs of those that we come into contact with... to meet the needs that we can meet. To do small things... with great love.