When God gave Gideon victory over the Midianites, He used an army of just three hundred to defeat an enemy that was hundreds of thousands strong (see Judges 7). That wasn’t because there weren’t more soldiers available; it was because God wanted to demonstrate His power in ‘the day of small things’. Jesus could have chosen any number of followers, but He handpicked twelve to reach the world with the gospel.
One day He fed five thousand people with five bread rolls and two small fish from a child’s lunchbox. He compared God’s kingdom to a mustard seed – the smallest there is, yet it grows into a massive tree. He also likened His kingdom to yeast that’s barely discernible, yet it can raise an entire batch of dough. Then He went on to say, ‘Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much’ (Luke 16:10 NIV 2011 Edition).
So if you’re asking God to make you bigger instead of better, you may be disappointed. All the prayers in the world won’t pressure Him into giving you what you are not ready to handle.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow said, ‘Most people would succeed in small things if they weren’t troubled with blind ambition.’ Your drive to be bigger can give you ulcers, keep you awake at night, and stop you from enjoying the blessings God has already given you. Better may be harder to measure and not as glamorous, but the inner stability that comes from gradual success is more valuable and lasting. So if you’re ‘in the day of small things’, rejoice and be confident that God has bigger and better things in mind for you.
Ezek 47-48, 2 Pet 1
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