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Small Is a Big Deal

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Luke 16:10
He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much;
and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much.

After the Civil War in the fall of 1865, John Broadus and the faculty of the fledgling Southern Baptist Seminary in Greenville, South Carolina, became burdened for more preachers of the gospel to help heal the nation's gaping wounds. To help remedy that situation, John Broadus prepared a seminary course on Homiletics to help prepare the next generation of preachers. To his surprise and sadness, only one student, a blind man, enrolled in the class. Nevertheless, in response, Broadus said, "I shall give him my best, and I shall pursue my lectures as planned." Broadus delivered his lectures as planned to his solitary sightless student. The lectures were so compelling, and the material so rich that they were published in 1870. Of this book, David Dockery has noted, "For decades it was the most widely used book on homiletics in the world. The volume, 'On Preparation and Delivery of Sermons,' is still employed today in some settings. The publication of the volume evidenced God's providential oversight. Here was a book that came about through lectures to one blind student, in a small, at that time almost anonymous, institution in Greenville, South Carolina."

This story would remind us that little is much, and can become much when dedicated to God. Nothing is small that is done for God. Therefore, it is an important lesson in life that you and I learn to make a big deal about small things. Jesus himself taught us on a number of occasions that faithfulness in small things is a big thing. In a number of His parables, Jesus employed a common proverb of the day that faithfulness in small things leads to greater things (Luke 16:10; 19:17; Matt. 25:21). What holds true in the world of men also holds true within the kingdom of God. People who do small things well will be given greater responsibility and rewards! The Son of God would have us know that it is the hidden, menial, common, and small things done well that signals greatness, and prepares us for the greater tasks. If David had never tackled the bear and lion, he would never have beaten Goliath from Gath (1 Sam. 17:33-36). While small things deserve to be done well for their own sake, they are nevertheless the proving ground for greater things (1 Tim. 3:10). The great souls are those who are faithful in that which is least.

In the trenches and tedium of daily living, we need to remember to make a big deal about small things. First, we must not despise small things (Zech. 4:10). Every great person started out as a small person. Every great invention started out as a small idea. The small things are still God's things, and He expects our best (Eccles. 9:10). Second, we are not to wait for some great work to drop in our lap. Do some little thing for God, and who knows what it may lead to (Luke 16:10). Make every occasion a great occasion because God is watching, and so is your next boss. Small is a big deal!