RaJean Vawter
Are you famous? Are you well-known for something? I'm guessing that you are not. Like me, you are probably only known by your family, friends and acquaintances. But the likelihood of you having even "five minutes of fame" is slim to none. So, does it make a difference to you? To others? And, more importantly, to God?
We who make up the majority of the non-famous are what I call, "The Little People." We are the majority who seem to matter only if we cater to, vote for or buy the books of "The Big People." The famous or well-known people. Does this status affect our security or self-esteem? How do you really feel about yourself? How does God feel about the vast majority of people on planet earth who are "little?"
In 1 John 2, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, John addresses three groups of people: little children, young men and fathers. Besides the fact that verses 12-14 show the progression of spirituality, I love it that he gives equal time to those who are little (or immature) in their faith walk as he does to the more mature for we are all Little People. And what does he tell them? He speaks to the foundation of Christianity -
- Our sins are forgiven for His name's sake
- We know the Father.
Two other biblical leaders who are commended in scripture followed this instruction. Josiah included the "Little People" to hear the book of the law as well as all the leaders at the same time (2 Chronicles 34:30). I'm guessing he didn't want God's Word to trickle down with the possibility of any part of it being distorted or left out. (Does this show us that we need to get in God's Word for ourselves instead of relying solely on a pastor, a conference speaker or a favorite teacher?)
The heathen king Ahasuerus of Shushan similarly honored the Little People as well as the great when he held a week-long feast in his palace to show off how great he was (Esther 1:5) While such a purpose showed his pride, it also showed his esteem for the those who were not officials, nobles and princes. Such esteem was revealed when, against great opposition, he accepted Esther's plea for her people and promoted the "Little" man, Mordecai to a position of greatness (Esther 10:2-3).
Besides these two examples of great leaders, God seems to have a "thing" about little things. Consider the following:
- The food He provided for the children of Israel in the wilderness for 40 year was "a small round thing upon the face of the wilderness, small as the hoar-frost upon the ground (Exodus 16:14).
- The spices used to make the incense for the tabernacle was to be beaten "very small" (Exodus 30:36).
Solomon realized that God made four things that are "little" on the earth that are very wise. From these four, we learn features that we need to learn from (Proverbs 30:24-28). Consider. . .
- The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their food in the summer;
- The rock badgers are a feeble folk, yet they make their homes in the crags;
- The locusts have no king, yet they all advance in ranks;
- The spider skillfully grasps with its hands, and it is in king' palaces.
Since we, too, are little (though bigger in size than these creatures) we need to follow their example and
- Work and plan for the future in the time of harvest. He who gathers in summer is a wise son; he who sleeps in harvest is a son who causes shame (Proverbs 10:5).
- Make our spiritual home in the Rock which is God Himself. Jehovah is my strength, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my rock (Psalm 18:2a).
- Work together for a common purpose even if we don't have a leader. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there I am in their midst (Matthew 18:20). Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord listened and heard them (Malachi 3:16).
- Learn to be as skilled in our work as much as we are capable of. Jair is a good example of this principle. Mentioned only three times in scripture, he was not considered one of the "great" men of the Bible or a "mighty man of valor." Yet he took what Moses gave him and expanded his holdings to the 23 small towns around what he'd initially been given (Numbers 32:41).
When it comes to little things, we're all familiar with what James wrote about the tongue (James 3:5) and of how God didn't speak to Elijah in the wind, the earthquake or the fire but in a "still small voice" (2 Kings 19:11-12). It goes without saying that we need to be careful about what comes out of our mouth. But it does need to be said that this is the only place in scripture that it says God spoke to somebody in a still small voice, i.e. a "delicate whispering voice." So why have we made a doctrine out of how hard it is to hear God speak? When Moses asked to see God's glory, God similarly took him up into a mountain but there is no record or evidence that God whispered to him. In fact, He spoke to him "as a man speaks to his friend" (Exodus 33:11). The fact of the matter is, He often raises His voice to us. If you question this, check out Proverbs 1:20, 21, Proverbs 8:1-3, Proverbs 9:3, John 7:37.
Years ago I had a friend who was anxious and worried about a situation. After days of stewing and fretting, his tiny little wife finally came to him and said, "Paul, God is so big and you are so little, do you really think you can miss Him?" King David realized the enormity of God and how much He cared for puny little man when he praised Him for taking what was small in God's eyes but great in David's eyes (2 Samuel 7:19). Shouldn't we?
To close this lesson I want to share with you a prophetic word the Lord gave me. On February 20,2019 He said, "Do not despise the small things The prayers and humble actions of the insignificant are the backbone of why My "suddenly" and breakthrough power comes to pass when it does. I hear the prayers when you lay upon your bed, when you wash dishes, when you silently praise Me. People don't realize how their silent prayers accumulate. Huge rain clouds are formed by tiny little droplets of water rising up. That's the way it is with prayers. Results don't come just because of big prayer meetings or conference calls. Those big efforts of corporate prayer come about as a result of the individual water drops of prayer even if those "water drops" don't know anything about the big prayer events. As I've said in My Word, "Who has despised the day of "small things? (Zechariah 4:5).