Eager to Do Something Great for God?

One of my favorite 2020 reads was Judi Pocoult’s “Small Great Things.” I learned the book got its name from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s quote: “If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way.”

That word sitting there quietly in the middle always jumps out at me: “Small.”

Small is defined in Merriam Webster’s dictionary as (adj): “limited in degree.” Synonyms for the word small are: tiny, insignificant, little, trivial… the list goes on.

I don’t know about you, but when I read this list, I almost want to let out a yawn. Trivial? Tiny? Bor-ing! You can keep your insignificant small things over there. I’ll be sipping oat milk matcha lattes with the shiny, splashy adjectives over here, thank you very much!

But. (There’s always a ‘but’ with God- isn’t there?)

But as much as my twenty something, enneagram 7, big city, dreamer, go getter, no chill self is running or zig-zagging trying to find all the shortcuts to fast track and avoid the small things–God keeps bringing me back to them.

So, finally I asked Him for understanding as to why this theme of “small” kept showing up at my doorstep uninvited, and that’s when the picture started to develop…

A beautiful garden starts with the smallest seed.

Some of the greatest love stories start with a small “Hello.”

A journey of a thousand miles starts with a small, single step.

God speaks to us in a small, still voice.

These things, which are baked in beauty, meaning, and intention (and give life the juicy flavor it needs to make it worthwhile)–all start with that “limited in degree” word, Small.

And if this is the case, then maybe I need to start being more intentional about how I steward the “small” moments in my life.

You know, the moments we wouldn’t necessarily put on our Instagram story: washing dishes, making formula, grocery shopping, greeting my quarantine mates in the morning.

How we show up in private matters just as much to God as how we show up in public.

“Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31)

So… you want to do something really, really GREAT for God?

1. Commit to doing all things out of love rather than obligation.

“To embrace God’s point of view, however briefly, is to be joyful” – Kay Warren.

Remember how you felt the first time you did the thing that’s now become part of your routine? (dropping off the kids, clicking the “submit” button on your blog, going to church on Sunday, etc.)?

‘Routine’ is a little joy thief. To ensure this little minion doesn’t come and steal all your mojo, remember God is with you in those small moments. When we remember His presence, even the simplest act of checking the mail can transform into an experience of joy, novelty and thankfulness.

2. Ask yourself each morning, “Who do I want to be?” vs. “What do I need to do?”

“Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.” (Romans 12:11)

Resolve to do all things as the beautiful, bold, courageous woman God created you to be. And when you fall short (because we’re human and it happens) practice self compassion by giving yourself a gentle hug and being bold enough to start anew.

Now go get out there, friend–you’ve got this! Tackle the small things, and the big things will fall right in place.