Wednesday, January 6, 2021
“If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones.” (Luke 16: 10, New Living Translation)

                Drop the microphone! The New Year has started out really well. This week, I actually was able to open a large jar of  Vlasic dill pickles. Victory is mine!

                Now, you may be thinking “So what?” or “Big deal!” Opening a jar of dill pickles seem pretty small potatoes or small cucumbers. There is a serious pandemic going on, so who cares about something so mundane and inconsequential?

                Stay with me.

                For the longest while, I have not had the ability to open any jar of pickles.  I had not enough strength because of the arthritis and the subsequent pain from my shoulders. The Vlasic jar was especially difficult. – like it was glued on. If I really wanted that dill pickle, I had to rely on Susan to open the jar.

                But this week, I faced my demons. Using my surgically-repaired, bionic left arm, the jar lid came off with no problem. No pain either. Hallelujah!

                Pretty silly stuff, eh?

                But it got me to thinking how important little things can be. Maybe, especially during a pandemic.

                I know we have been told not to sweat the small stuff and that’s not bad advice either. But I think there is an argument that there are some small things in our lives that we should be tending to, nurturing, looking after and making sure that these small elements of living take root and blossom. They make a difference, especially when they start to add up and make a difference in our lives, moods, attitudes and behaviour.

                “Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin…” (Zechariah 4:10, NLT)

                No doubt, we can feel buried on the small irritants in a day or a week or a year like last year. But as we are faithful in the small workings-out of our lives and taking care of those everyday things that matter, we may find life takes on a new shine. One step at a time, we find strength and confidence and even satisfaction.

                There are times when we have no control over the really big things that happen to us and our loved ones, but we do have the ability to be mindful about these little things that make a day more meaningful, one by one.

                It may be doing something that we have been putting off. It may be a kind word to a spouse of a child. It may be petting your dog and giving the pooch a treat. It may be a prayer in the middle of the day, a quick thank-you to God for some little moment of grace that caught your attention. It may be a small, thoughtful act of kindness to a stranger. It may be biting your tongue when provoked and feeling good that you didn’t hurt someone’s feelings.

 If we are diligent or faithful enough, I think our days are full of such small possibilities and moments when  we open our allegorical jars of pickles and taste the fruits of our labours.

                “And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong.” (James 3:4, NLT)

 Dale