God's Thoughts on Sm"ALL" Things

I'm a pastor's wife. 
 

After I typed that sentence, I looked back at it and thought it looked too small....too insignificant and too lacking in expression. I guess I could say, "I'm a small pastor's wife." Small not meaning my size, but my worth. A small pastors wife doing small things. But then again, who measures our worth? What does God think about small pastors wives with small pastor husbands who work in small places with a few small people? 

Now, personally speaking, we haven't always been quite as small as we are today. There were times when we had larger crowds, when in the human, we felt like God was blessing our efforts and there are more times when the enemy tempts me to feel like a failure. But, as I've learned this afternoon from God's Word, our success can not be measured in terms of size. People are merely human and people change and grow and sometimes people leave. Sometimes they are led away of God and sometimes they are led astray of Satan. It's not my job quite frankly, to determine which are in which group. We have only to know that we did our best while they were in our limited care. It's not up to me to say that someone didn't want to "pay the price" spiritually speaking or couldn't "make the sacrifice" that comes with pioneering small churches. It's simply up to me to be content in small places, to know that God is pleased to give the entire Kingdom to a small (little) flock (Luke 12:32). 

God the Father takes great pleasure in the multitude of little flocks gathering in small church congregations, home fellowships, home Bible studies, prayer groups, and the like. One note of caution here: the fact that God sincerely loves our small churches must not make us complacent. Our Great Commission responsibilities still include soul winning efforts and other Scripturally-based attempts to contribute to the expansion of the Kingdom of Heaven here on earth. But while we are involved in this life-long process, it is an absolute fact that God deeply loves sincere, Christ-honoring churches of all sizes. 

Psalm 115:14 promises that  " He will bless those who fear the LORD — small and great alike." 

My mind was drawn to the widow in Mark chapter 12. The one who gave so small. Oops! I mean the one who gave her ALL! Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. See, God evaluates things differently from man’s appraisal. Surely the onlookers thought, “But Lord, surely those rich people who threw in thousands were the big givers!” Jesus' evaluation came through in His reply [paraphrased]: “No, that poor widow’s two very small copper coins were the biggest donation of all." How could this be?!? The answer is that man looks on the outward appearance; God looks on the heart (1 Samuel 16:7).

What an encouragement to know that "all" God requires of me is my "small all."

Another reference to small things is found in Luke 19:17  “Well done, my good servant!” his master replied. “Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities." Luke 16:10  “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much...." The good servant was “trustworthy in a very small matter." Simple trustworthiness may not seem like a significant thing to some, but it is a very important thing to God. In fact, it is "all" to God. In Luke 19:17 the reward (taking charge over ten cities) was not until the Second Coming of the Lord. Apparently until the very end of his life the servant had simply remained “trustworthy in a small matter." Though the place may be small, I must be faithful in the task, remain trustworthy, and great will be the reward. That is Jesus’ call to every saint, shepherd, and shepherd's wife of God’s “little flocks” to the thousands of small churches around us. Let us remain trustworthy in whatever small thing he gives us to do. Preach the Word; strive to win souls; care diligently for the many or the few that God gives us. Love small people to a BIG God, and hear His “Well done!” in due time.
 

Despise not small things (Zechariah 4:10) for small is the gate and narrow is the way that leads to life and few find it (Matthew 7:14).

What a privilege and blessing it is to be "small." What a joy to give my "small all" to the Master!