At the beginning of every school year when I was in school, our President would offer the same message during the first week of chapel. He would talk about the story of Moses and how God called him to do something incredible despite Moses' insecurities, weaknesses, and fears. Moses faced no small task, in fact, God had told Moses that he would be the one to lead the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt and into the promise land. We are talking about two million people to be led out of slavery by one man. This would naturally lead to cause for concern but I distinctly remember the words of my College President year after year when he asked: "What's in your hand?" The words are echoed from Exodus 4:2 from when after Moses complains to God about all the reasons why he is not fit for the challenge, God asked him, “what is that in your hand?”
I will always love those words because God was not concerned with what Moses did not possess, He simply asked Him what was in his hands. The incredible thing about God is that He can take what little we offer him and use it in exponential ways. We may not feel as though we have talents, prestige, power, eloquence, in fact, the only thing you may have to offer to God is yourself, but that is more than enough. All that was in Moses’ hands was a staff, but given up to God, this would be the same staff that split the red sea, struck water from a rock, and would later be called the staff of God. I believe that there’s an important lesson for us all and it’s this: There are no little people and there are no little places. God doesn’t create “little” things. There is no one that we should look at with insignificance including ourselves because we are looking at people made in the very image of God. C.S. Lewis once states that “there are no ordinary people [and] you have never talked to a mere mortal.” I wonder how much would change in our lives if we actually believed that fact alone that we were talking to people made in the image of God. I believe we would begin to honor people, to speak kindly of them, to be patient with them, to believe the best about them. Similarly, if we believed that we ourselves were made in the image of God, the results would be incredible. Ephesians 2:10 states: "For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” and this should give each of such a powerful level of confidence and assurance. We live in a culture where we compare what we don’t have to the things that other people do, whether that be talents, possessions, status, etc. But yet I am reminded of the kind words that God spoke to Moses, “what is that in your hand?” I don’t need much in my hands to be used by God, all I need is to offer what I do have and place it in his hands and trust him with the results.
Secondly, there are no little places. We often view the meaning of our lives as the cultivation of the various “big” moments that they comprise. We don’t often view the menial, “little” tasks that comprise the majority of our days as that important or hold them with much significance. Much of life in fact becomes routine, dull, and boring and we await the next significant moment to give us a renewed sense of passion and joy. However, God has an intended purpose for every situation, season we find ourselves in. Hebrews 13:8 states that "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” and so this means that God is active in every season, in every situation and in every place. The places and situations we view with insignificance are precious to God. Work becomes routine to us, grocery shopping, family, our co-workers, friends, hobbies, exercise, etc. all become routine to us but those are all places where God wants to reveal Himself. John Piper once stated that missions exist because worship doesn't. We look around our world and we see brokenness constantly. There are countless people who don't know God and there are a plethora of situations that don't reflect his glory and greatness. Therefore there are no small places because all around us, God invites us to advance His kingdom, He invites us to display His love, He invites us to spread His gospel and live on mission. We don’t need to wait for the big moments of life because every day we can live with intentionality and purpose fulfilling the life God called us to live. I believe that our lives would look radically different if we believed these two truths: there are no little people and there are no little places.
- JORDAN PARKER
Practical Challenge:
Think about your daily routine and ask God how He wants to show up in the ordinary and obey what He reveals to you.
Think about someone in your life who you may view with insignificance and pray the prayer of Ephesians 2:10 over them right now.