As I’m writing this, Margie is busy packing for our trip to Salt Lake City (notice how I got out of the packing…). We are meeting all of our children and grandchildren there to spend a few days skiing, snowmobiling, and family time.
I was reminded by Margie (and many, many others), that whenever I get involved in an activity, I usually tend to GO BIG. I know, I know, it’s hard to believe that I would throw caution to the wind and just go all out, but hey, that’s always been me. My mind hasn’t grasped the idea that my body is quickly approaching 60. I mean, I still do a lot of the same things I did in my 20’s – I just can’t walk the next day. I don’t think that I’m alone in this. I mean, a lot of people, they’ve decided to do something, they often like to “go big.” We think to ourselves: if we’re going to do this thing, let’s really do it.
We can bring this kind of thinking, this “go big” mentality, to all kinds of work, even the work God calls us into—that is, the work of loving and serving others. Great things can result, of course. But the mentality can backfire, too—for example, when we set our ambitions too high, get overwhelmed, lose our focus on the main thing, and can’t follow through. It’s interesting that, knowing us as he does, Jesus suggests an opposite approach:
“Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. The one who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and the one who receives a righteous person because he is a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.” Matthew 10:40-42
Start small! Why does something rise up in our hearts and spirits, against that approach? Well, it’s mostly because by “going big” we hope to grab a little glory for ourselves. We want others to see us and think well of us. And if we don’t “go big,” they might not actually see our accomplishments. But, Jesus reassures us: “he will by no means lose his reward.” We must trust his words and trust that God the Holy Spirit can do amazing things within even our smallest, most ordinary acts of love and service. And that’s plenty big for any of us.
So, as Paul says, “So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.” Galatians 6:10
I love you and will be praying for you all – as I sit beside the fire, in a rocking chair, drinking hot cocoa, I’ll be dreaming of my younger days and the skiing I used to do.