Ode to the Small

I was humiliated today by a small person.

Don’t worry about me. I’m good. As a matter of fact, I’m feeling better. Even if I don’t deserve it.

You see, I’m this “busy” Senior Pastor of a growing church, and my time is precious.  I try not to waste a minute of it.

Then a friend of mine asked me a favor. Knowing how busy and “important” a person I am, he was very apologetic in approaching me. He told me that a person very important to him was needing some encouragement, and if I could actually text this person an uplifting message.

I said sure. I did and it didn’t even cost me more than five minutes to do so.

Then my “humiliation” began.

That person almost immediately texted me back a very long response, obviously feeling very thankful and surprised by my “thoughtfulness.” It took longer to read the message than it took me to text it.

It was then that I realized how “happy are the ‘small’, for they are easily grateful!”

It was then that I also felt rebuked (my so-called “humiliation”). I have to admit I needed that. For in my prayers lately, it has often been, “Lord I need this; Lord I need that.” Or sometimes, “Lord, why this; Lord why that?” And very few of “Lord, thank you for this; Lord thank you for that!”

It turns out that when we think we are too big to appreciate the small things; we are actually too small to appreciate the big things!

A simple text message, and I got in return a “thank you” I don’t deserve, and a lesson I won’t forget.

Live in gratitude. If “happy are the content”, then “woe to the ungrateful, for they shall never be happy.”

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