3 Little Things That Make a Big Impact for the Kingdom
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You have probably seen images of great crusades where thousands of people cram into a stadium or arena to hear someone speak and proclaim the gospel. You are aware of best-selling authors who write books that impact the lives of millions of people all around the world. You have seen pastors that build churches that have thousands of members changing countless lives in the process.
Sometimes seeing these things can feel intimidating. If you are not careful you can fall into the trap of thinking “I don’t have that big of a platform, what difference can I make?” I want to encourage you today and help you understand why the little things matter so much. Simple actions that you take and little things you do can have tremendous impact in the Kingdom of God.
In Luke 13:18-21 Jesus shares two little parables that show us the impact that little things treated properly can make. Consider these two parables:
“Then Jesus asked, ‘What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds perched in its branches.’ Again he asked, ‘What shall I compare the kingdom of God to? It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough.’”
Jesus was comparing these little, seemingly insignificant things to the kingdom of God. I want to share with you three little things you can do that can have great impact in the kingdom of God.
A Little Reaching
What would happen if Christians did a little more reaching? What if you went after the one with the same determination you go after the many?
Jesus had a habit of going after the one. I was recently reading in John 9 about the story of the man who was born blind. In the story, Jesus heals a man who was blind from birth. Eventually this man went into the synagogue to tell his story of how Jesus healed him. Let’s just say that experience didn’t go so well for the man, and he was eventually put out of the synagogue after sharing his testimony. It’s the little thing that happened after that which leaped out to me as I was reading it.
“Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him…” (John 9:35, emphasis added).
Here was a man that was not significant. He wasn’t a great leader. Until the time Jesus healed him all we knew about this man was he was blind and he was a beggar. Clearly, he was not one of the Jewish elite. Yet when Jesus heard that he had been kicked out of the synagogue, Jesus went looking for him.
These types of little actions, that no one will probably ever see, are the foundation for building the kingdom of God. Letting people know how much they are valued and how much you care about them. Imagine the impact the church would have if we would spend time going after the little insignificant ones that no one else has time for. A little reaching could produce massive results in the Kingdom of God. It is this type of compassion that can cause a little mustard seed to grow into a giant, stable tree that can support many.
A Little Loving
I don’t know if you have ever baked a fresh loaf of bread. My mom doesn’t make loafs of bread but she is known for making some delicious rolls. (Maybe I shouldn’t talk about these because I want some now, but I digress). When you are making rolls, for every pound of flour you only need to use as little as a teaspoon of yeast. Yet that little teaspoon impacts the entire batch, causing them rise into these little bundles of deliciousness. (See, don’t you want one now?)
Just like the yeast in my mom’s rolls, this is also true of love. Just a little bit can go a long way. I went to visit a church one time to attend a men’s ministry meeting. This was the first time I had ever been to that church. The thing that struck me was the absolute love and hospitality these people showed me, even though I was a complete stranger, it didn’t matter. They didn’t just treat me that way, they showed the same love to every person who attended that event.
These people were infectious in the way they displayed their love. After the meeting, I went to the pastor and told him how much I was moved by the love his congregation demonstrated towards me and all who attended.
I believe this is the type of infectious love that needs to invade our hearts and when it does, it can make a world of difference. The nature of love like this is that it has the tendency to spread. I challenge you and myself today, let’s start mixing in just a little more loving in our homes, communities, churches, and even in the workplace. Incorporating little acts of kindness, little gestures that show you care can be contagious. When we start doing these little things, stand back and watch the great impact they will have.
Photo credit: ©Sparrowstock
A Little Serving
Unfortunately, in churches there is something called the 80/20 rule. What that means is 80 percent of the work is done by 20 percent of the people. By the way, this rule applies regardless of the size of the church. It is very rare to find a church that has too many volunteers that they can’t accommodate them all.
In spite of this rule, churches still are able to remain effective in what they do. What if that was changed because we added a little more serving? What if instead of it being 80/20 we changed it to 80/30 or 80/40? Imagine how much more effective we could all be.
A little more serving where each member gives just a little bit again can produce unbelievable results in the Kingdom of God. Serving can be infectious too. I believe one of the reasons people struggle with serving is because they see the same 20 percent of the people doing so much that it looks unattractive to them. If we all just did a little bit more, we could transform the experience of serving, making it better for everyone. That little extra will take it from ordinary to extraordinary.
A Last Little Thought
I have just shared with you three areas that you could impact with just a little. But I am sure you can probably think of many more. I encourage you to take some time today and think about ways or places where you could do just a little bit and it can have a profound impact.
I bet you could find someone you could reach out to with a phone call. Someone you could show love to by sending them a card or letter. Maybe there is a ministry in your church that could use just a little bit of your time. There are so many ways you can impact those around you for the Kingdom of God.
God is looking for people just like you who are willing to make a difference in the places he has positioned you. The best part is, all it takes is just a little but the joy and the rewards can be so much greater.
Photo credit: ©Getty Images/amenic181
