When Serving in Big Ways Means Doing Little Things

A lot of us want to do something big for God.  We feel like we’re not serving enough, not doing enough, and we want to push ourselves to do more for God and His kingdom.

I don’t think there’s necessarily anything wrong with that.  It is good to desire to serve God.  But I think we get it wrong with what exactly it means to serve God in a big way.

Sometimes, serving in a big way means serving in little ways.  Sometimes doing great things for God means doing the small things.

Take Ruth for instance.

She is called a virtuous woman (Ruth 3:11).  Her praises are sung by the local women.  These women call Naomi blessed to have such a daughter-in-law, better than “seven sons” (Ruth 4:14-15).  Ruth is one of the most highly-praised women we read about in Scripture.

What was this marvelous thing she did?  Surely she served God in a mighty way.  She must have had a three-album deal while being the soloist of her church’s worship team, or founded an orphanage.  Maybe she led mission trips, and wrote devotional books.

Here’s what she did, according to the Book of Ruth: she took care of her mother-in-law and worked hard.

She gathered grain.  She gleaned fields with the poorest of the poor.  She winnowed grain.  She worked tirelessly.  She stayed with Naomi, refusing to abandon her.

In the eyes of the world, Ruth did no great things for God.  She merely did a bunch of chores.  How is that serving God in a mighty way?

I am no great Bible scholar, but I propose this: sometimes, serving God in big things means taking care of the small things.

Sometimes the greatest things we can do for God is to not neglect the little things He’s given us to take care of.

None of the “big things” listed above are bad things.  Some of us may do those things someday.  But serving God in a big way often means doing a bunch of chores.  Helping an elderly neighbor with an errand.  Taking the time to hang out with a younger sibling.  Asking the shy quiet girl if she’d like to hang out with you and your friends.

Doing that one little task that will help someone out, make someone’s load lighter, but will never be listed on the church bulletin.

Let’s be honest, how many of us would rather do one of those “big things”?  At first look, those glitzy items seem way more important.  Serving in foreign countries to witness to the lost...leading a congregation in worship...writing books that touch millions of hearts...caring for scores of precious children in need of godly homes...

All of those things are wonderful.  I pray God uses those willing to accomplish those things for Him.  

But can we genuinely serve the Lord in those big things if we’re not faithful in the little things He’s put before us?

A lot of times, we’re deceived by what it means to serve God in a mighty way.  We think that, unless it’s huge, it doesn’t matter.  We get distracted from the small things God’s placed before us.

We seek to do bigger and better things for God.  But maybe bigger and better means small and seemingly insignificant.

Maybe sometimes the greatest ways to further God’s kingdom are the menial things that won’t get awards or thankyous.

I don’t mean we shouldn’t seek to do big things for God.  But I think we often forget the little things when we focus on finding great ways to serve Him.  What if instead we focused on finding the small ways to serve God in our families, churches, and communities, while being open to the big ways God sets before us?