The Day of Small Things

Zechariah 4:10 – “For who hath despised the day of small things?”

Often little things in life are like the slight movements of a railroad switch, which change the destinations of trains.  “The flight of birds from north to south changed the course of Columbus’ ship to the southern half of this western hemisphere and led to the settlement of that section by the Latin race.  God’s providence chose this northern continent for a Protestant people with an open Bible.”  An axe, carelessly placed near the compass of the Mayflower changed the direction of the ship, and led to the landing of the Pilgrims at Plymouth instead of New York.

Such is the plan of God – He uses small things to get His will done.  In the context of our text passage, the children of Israel have returned to Jerusalem after leaving Babylon.  They find a great mess, a great mountain of rubble in their sight.  Zerubbabel, the governor of Jerusalem, becomes so discouraged.  How can they rebuild the city – the temple – the walls?  It’s just too much and in Zerubbabel’s eyes, he was so small – a veritable nothing compared to the great task ahead.  Then Zechariah comes on the scene and gives him a message from God, “Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, sayeth the Lord of hosts (Zech 4:6).”  He continues by telling Zerubbabel that with God’s help, he can do great things.  He tells him in the rest of verse 10, “They shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel.”  He considered himself small before the great task, and God uses small things, so get the job done.

In Exodus 4:1-9, God used Moses and his rod to deliver Israel from Egypt.  Moses told God he was nothing.  God told him with His help, he was all that was needed.  He told him to use his rod, and with that rod Moses did great things to bring about Israel’s deliverance from Egypt and from the hand of Pharaoh.

In Judges 15:14-16, Samson used the jawbone of an ass to kill a thousand Philistines.  It was a small thing, but in the hand of God’s anointed, it became powerful.

In 1 Samuel 17, David used five small stones in a slingshot to fell the great giant Goliath.  He didn’t need the armor of Saul – all he needed was his faith in God and his shepherd’s sling.  And he slew the great giant and cut off his head with his own sword.

In 2 Kings 4:1-7, it only took a handful of meal and a small cruise of oil to sustain a widow, her son, and the man of God through the years of the famine. 

In Matthew 14:13-21, five barley loaves and two small fishes was all it took to feed a crowd of five thousand men, plus women and children.  All it took was a young boy who was willing to give it to the Lord and allow it to be used for His glory.

Lastly, in Matthew 13:31-32, Jesus said that the mustard seed, the smallest of all herbs, would become a great tree, and the birds would find shelter in its limbs.

Each one of us, though small and insignificant in this great universe, can be greatly used of God to do His work.  We don’t have to be great – or mighty – or popular to be used in His work.  All it takes is faithfulness and commitment.  1 Corinthians 1:26 tells us, “Not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called.”

Quote – “God can use a crooked stick to draw a straight line.” – Dr. Harold Sightler

"Lord, Help us to remember that you can greatly use the smallest among us.  If you can take five loaves and two fishes and feed over five thousand, then you can use each one of us to do a great work for you. Amen."