Little Things

 

People underestimate the accumulative power of little things. 

Recently, as I was adding supplies to my pack for a backpacking trip, I remembered how quickly the weight adds up. People who backpack find creative ways to lighten the load and save space. The put toothpaste in straws. They cut up books and carry only small parts. They bring one set of extra clothes and trade them out. They purchase tents, sleeping bags, and other equipment based on its weight. Backpackers evaluate every item to determine if it has multipurpose to cut down on extra equipment. Seasoned hikers know those little amounts of weight multiply as one treks up the side of a mountain. 

Another example of underestimated little things is time. People who are chronically late often underestimate how long it takes to do the little things: putting on shoes, digging for keys, running to the bathroom, parking the car, etc. 

Little changes for good health add up too: consistently eating more vegetables, drinking water, and exercising even a few minutes. 

This can apply spiritually too. I love a long, unhurried, leisurely time with the Lord and believe that is important, but sometimes life is busy. We can still feed our souls along the way in little ways. A few quiet minutes in prayer and Bible reading is better than none. Christian radio or praise music focuses our minds on Jesus as we chop vegetables for dinner or drive to work. Meditating on a verse over lunch is like a spiritual snack. 

On the flip side, little sins add up too. Sin burdens us under its ever-increasing weight. Its drains the life from us and destroys precious things like relationships, health, marriages, finances, mental health, etc. Like a tiny germ that multiplies, tiny sins can make us sick. 

We underestimate the accumulative power of little things, because those things usually accumulate slowly over time. We might not even notice. It is like a young boy growing. We do not realize he is getting bigger until one day his clothes no longer fit. 

Tiny seeds grow into large plants. What little seeds are you sowing? What will you reap? Are there little things that need your attention? 

joyce hague