Having been made in the image of God, our hearts have been set by Him on eternity. Rooted in each heart is a God-given desire to impact the world around us. But in the midst of endless distractions, countless opportunities to live out our purpose can go unnoticed each and every day. Stick around this week as we look at how we live our day-to-day lives in a way that points others to the cross.

Small Beginnings

“Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plum line in Zerubbabel’s hand.” 

Zechariah 4:10, NLT

You need not look very far to see seemingly ordinary people doing remarkable things in the name of Jesus. Evangelists are bringing the gospel to thousands. Wells are being dug, bringing the lifeline of clean water to impoverished communities in desperate need. Rescued from the horrors of sex slavery, women are supporting themselves through meaningful employment, and orphans around the world are being adopted into loving families. I get goosebumps just thinking about the kingdom work that is being done all around the world!

Within each of our hearts is a God-given desire to make a difference in the world around us. All too often, the great needs compared with our limited abilities can seem intimidating so we settle on doing nothing.

After the destruction of Solomon’s temple by the Babylonians, Zerubbabel was the man charged to rebuild it. It was no small task. Remembering the splendor of Solomon’s temple, many of the older Jews were disappointed with the new temple. Compared to Solomon’s temple, it was smaller and lacking the “wow” factor they felt it needed. Talk about sucking the wind right out of someone’s sails!

What if Zerubbabel had given in to the discouragement of the unfair comparison, believing his temple wasn’t big enough or grand enough? What if he had chosen to do nothing?

Unfortunately, I’ve been guilty of the comparison trap and felt that what I had to offer was just too small. I’ve given in to discouragement. Maybe you have, too.

The Lord told Zechariah, “Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin” (Zechariah 4:10). Bigger isn’t always better: He values our small efforts and actually rejoices in them! Small yeses, small sacrifices, and small steps of faith are the beginning. Just as Jesus took a little boy’s lunch, blessed it, multiplied it, and fed thousands, He will do the same for us. We need only lay our small offering of our time, our money, our gifts, and our lives at His feet.

Savoring the small,

Traci