Big and Small

A couple of weeks ago, the church copy machine went “ka-flooey.” Shut down completely. The culprit? A tiny little round metal speck smaller than a BB shattered some gears and like a chain reaction, damaged other necessary “thing-a-ma-jigs,” resulting in, “Huh-uh, not gonna do any more work right now, thank you very much.” As an office worker put it, “Amazing that something so infinitesimal could make such a huge impact.”

A life lesson for sure. My mind immediately went to a mustard seed. The Bible says if we even have an infinitesimal faith as small as a mustard seed, NOTHING will be impossible for us! An impact? Oh yes!

Conversely, a tiny seed of hate, anger, or resentment can erode our faith, our outlook on life, our hopes and dreams. I saw a quote that says, “The more anger towards the past you carry in your heart, the less capable you are of loving in the present.” Anger can be the “BB” that cuts us down, unable to function in our daily lives and in our daily walk with God. Worry can also wreak havoc. God is BIGGER than anger or worry. He’s the “repairman” of our souls. Let it go – trade in the troublesome “BBs” for the mustard seed of faith. It will sprout and grow, choking out the weeds that threaten our beings. God is our gardener. He nourishes life itself and all things good. He surely can erase and heal the tiny detrimental specks we hold on to that will lead us away from Him.

A person who refuses to forgive, to see another’s viewpoint or to make the first move toward reconciliation is called “small.” Another “BB” clogging up healthy relationships. Can we be big enough to release resentment and blame? God continually forgives BIG sins and then forgets our black “BBs.” Can we not do the same?

Flowers bloom from tiny seeds, some babies can be held in the palm of a hand, hummingbirds delight us, a lock of a child’s hair in a baby book – small things that expand our hearts and fill us with wonder. Their genesis? God himself. Our BIG God who loves us with a largess we cannot comprehend. Lean on it, trust it; pull it over you as a warm family heirloom quilt. Small is good, small can be bad. The GREATNESS and love of God is only good, always.

“….If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:20

I Brake for Jesus

You’ve seen bumper stickers saying, “I BREAK FOR BLONDES” or some such humor. Well, I’ve been avoiding braking at all whenever I could for a few weeks now, driving with “iffy” brakes. Scary and worrisome – tension-filled driving for sure, but finances prevented an immediate fix. Brake fluid was disappearing, resulting in the brake pedal going nearly to the floorboards. I was risking my life and the lives of others, I knew. Yesterday I shelled out $200 and now have brakes AND peace of mind.
Sitting in the auto shop waiting for the mechanic to complete my brake fix, I thought about the harried pace of our lives, the rushing to and fro, the errands, our jobs, our families, our obligations, “where do I need to be next?” and “what do I need to do next?”
Maybe we need to “brake” more for Jesus. Our hustle and bustle lives sometimes produce tension just as my malfunctioning brakes caused me. Tension obliterates reason at times, robbing us of coherent thought and calm. Who doesn’t want to be calm and reasonable? What do we accomplish, REALLY, when we feel harried and rushed and pushed and skidding out of control? What are we rushing toward? Is it worth the hassle? Look both ways! Slow down! Proceed with caution! Breathe! God is in control!
I often-times give myself a “brake/break”………to regroup, to pray, to thank God, to ask for directions, to refuel for the next minute, the next unexpected expense or event. I plug into my God GPS. I find that quiet time at the beginning or end of my day spent with Jesus are the best thing I can do for my body, mind and spirit. And yet sometimes I neglect it. “Iffy” brakes on my car reminded me that life has flawed “brakes/breaks” and if we don’t repair/fix/employ, we are skidding down a very slippery slope indeed. Stop! Pray! Meditate! Study! Listen! “Brake” for Jesus! It will save your soul and ensure your eternal life.

“Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret…..it leads only to evil…” Psalm 37:7a, 8b