Small gifts…big blessings

Have you ever noticed that sometimes the biggest blessings come in small sizes? Sometimes the biggest blessings, the biggest joys in our lives come in small packages. Looking back over my life I see so many joyful moments that were ushered in by small sized gifts. I think that’s really how God works. I am not saying He doesn’t give us huge miracles, but I think God is in the details. Throughout the Bible you see evidence of the big and little gifts, but what I notice is that, while the people in the Bible rejoice at the big miracles, they quickly forget them.

It’s the small, yet steady, gifts that bring the people the greater and longer lasting joy. Why is that, I wonder? I think that is one of the reasons Jesus did not send down angels to destroy the people who were crucifying him. They mocked him and taunted him. Matthew 27:41-43 “In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. “He saved others,’ they said, ‘but he can't save himself! He's the King of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, 'I am the Son of God.'”" Sure, Jesus could have made a huge scene and come down off the cross in all his glory. The angels could have come down and taken care of business. Why didn’t they? Well, I think it’s because of the history of God’s big blessings. The Lord guided the Israelites through the wilderness, he performed great miracles in their sights and yet they forgot them. Jesus had to die. He had to go out the way he did. If not, we’d never have victory over death. The Lord knew how incapable we are to remember the big gifts. If all we had in life were big gifts to hold on to, I believe we’d be in trouble. Notice how Jesus came into the world. He didn’t arrive on a huge flaming cloud from heaven; he came meek and mild as a baby. If that isn’t a small gift that turned into a huge blessing…I don’t know what is. Praise the Lord for small packages, for they turn into the greatest blessings we can receive.

I believe that relationships and/or friendships fall into the category of small yet steady gifts from God. Not that I am trivializing any relationships out there by saying they are a small gift, I am just trying to compare the gift of a friend to let’s say fire from heaven. Sure, the fire coming down from heaven is a huge deal, but what long lasting impact would it have on you? I think the longer lasting impact for us comes through that sturdy friendship. Those good relationships make us better. We have accountability and stability. And being around the right person can make all the difference. You know those types of people, right? The people who can make a rainy day become bright? We all love being around those people. They draw us closer to God and they are joys to be around. I can think of a few people who fit into that category in my life. My wife is one of those people. Those who know her know what a sweet, peaceful, and beautiful disposition she has. I want to be a better man when I am around her and I now realize that I must go to the Lord about that. Because of the relationship I have with her, I am drawn closer to God. Another small package I received six years ago was the gift of my niece. Today, December 4th, is her sixth birthday. I can’t believe it. I remember what I was doing when I received the phone call that little Hailey was born. I couldn’t contain myself…I wept as I walked to class that morning. Such a tiny baby, but such a great joy. I have had the privilege of getting to watch her grow over the years.

And how about those tiny blessings throughout the day? Yesterday I had my patience tested and I passed the test. It was a huge blessing for me. I didn’t react the way I normally do and by the end of the day, the Lord took care of it. I know that many of you can attest to that. That tiny, little blessing helped me to see that God truly is on His throne and He has things in order. He doesn’t need my meddling. What He needs is for me to be faithful to Him. So, even though Thanksgiving has passed, it isn’t too late or too early to be thankful. Be thankful for the tiny gifts in life. God gives us the small gifts and if we are truly thankful for them, if we are truly faithful in the tiny blessings of life, I believe this is His response to us: Matthew 25:21 “"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'” This is the way I see small gifts…they turn into huge blessings. The Lord wants us to be faithful with the small things in life. Through that we reap the great rewards. Be faithful in the small things.