The Little Things

This morning, I am again sitting in my favorite coffee shop, Maine Bean, Windham, Maine, enjoying my cofee and relaxing from a hetic three days of traveling some 900 miles by car for meetings. Sipping my coffee, I got to thinking about a statement I heard on the radio last night while driving home.

I heard a radio commentator talk about how a few twenty-five cent washers caused the Hubble telescope to fail. It cost the American tax payers eighty-six million dollars to fix it. That got me to thinking. It's the little things that matter in life. We are always focusing on the big things. But really, it's the little things that makes the difference.

Zec 4:10 New Living Translation
Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel's hand.

When I planted the church in Ellsworth, it began small - two people, Jeanne and myself. After a year it grew to seven. After two years, attendance was eleven, after three years, thirty-five. When I left after five years to follow God's call to new endeavors, attendance was at sixty-five. My point is this, it began small. We can't underestimate little things. They do matter. Today, there is a solid, healthy A/G church impacting the community of Ellsworth. God likes to use small humble beginnings to make a difference. It's the liitle things that matters.

Da 8:9 Amplified Version
Out of littleness and small beginnings one of them came forth [Antiochus Epiphanes], a horn whose [impious presumption and pride] grew exceedingly great toward the south and toward the east and toward the ornament [the precious, blessed land of Israel].

Lk 16:10 New Living Translation
If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won't be honest with greater responsibilities.

"This is a maxim which will almost universally hold true. A man that shows fidelity in small matters will also in large; and he that will cheat and defraud in little things will also in those involving more trust and responsibility. Fidelity is required in small matters as well as in those of more importance." (from Barnes' Notes) It's the little things that matters.

Little mistakes, like with the Hubble telescope, can be very costly. I have often heard a someone say to me, "It's no big deal." It may not seem so now, but what is the long term effect? Think about it, little things do matter.