Not Despising the Little Things

Don’t look at the seeming meaninglessness or mundane things of each day and despise them; they may be more useful than you think! We need to strive so that we aren’t discounting every small and seemingly innocent occurrence; we mustn’t look at things as if they are just routine, just another thing to do before “the real” day starts or “the important things” begin. Beloved brethren, let’s not despise the day of small things, the moment of small things. We mustn’t because Paul writes, “and base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: that no flesh should glory in his presence.” [1 Cor 1:28-29]

Zechariah encourages us in this. He reminds Zerubbabel, who was instructed of God to rebuild the temple, that The LORD’s omniscient eyes are over each and every day. He writes,

"For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth." [Zech 4:10]

The Lord doesn’t always use great and mighty things. In fact He often uses the exact opposite. And so next time you do something mundane like brush your teeth (no really!) or next time you are driving, walking upstairs, etc… Whatever it may be, whatever routine thing you are doing: I encourage you, as The Lord has encouraged me, don’t despise it. But see just what new glory of Jesus Christ can be revealed through even this.

Remember Elijah, when he went up the mountain and met The LORD. The LORD wasn’t found in the magnificent and “great” things. He was a still small voice.

"And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?" [1 Ki 19:11-13]

God wasn’t in the fearful and magnificent things: the wind, the earthquake, the fire. But God was in a still small voice. Barely audible; gentle; seemingly nothing. The ineffable and infinite and indescribable KING OF KINGS and LORD OF LORDS, The Great God of all the universe: this God chose a still small voice. And notice what Elijah does: he wraps his face so that he does not look upon The LORD and he leaves the cave.

When you encounter the mundane and the small: do you wrap your face as it were? I think maybe we should. Let’s not despise the small things, but look into them as opportunities to fear God and see His glory.