This past weekend, I asked the congregation to name someone who had helped them in their spiritual walk. I also asked them to tell what that person did that made them so memorable.
One of the things that quickly became obvious is that you do not have to be a “Leader” to be a leader. In other words, you do not have to have a spotlight or an official position in the church to make a difference. In fact, of the approximately 20 people mentioned, only one of them was a preacher. Most of them were simply neighbours, friends or co-workers.
The second thing I noticed was that “little things” were big things. When people recalled what really helped them, they remembered things like kind words, encouragement, friendship and time spent together.
The answers that I received confirmed what I had already suspected. Too often, we make Christianity too hard. In our efforts to be useful servants of God, we impose rules and expectations that actually hinder our progress. People do not need you to know the entire Bible before you share the good news with them. What they need is a word of encouragement. People do not need an answer to every problem that they face. What they need is someone who has time to listen to them. You do not need a grand vision and plan for reaching the lost. What you need is a heart that cares about people.
Now, do not get me wrong, believing and knowing the proper things is vital. Without a knowledge of God’s word, we have nothing to offer anyone (Including ourselves). However, the crucial step is not the “knowing” part, but the “doing” part.
Philemon 7 says, “Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints”.
When you show God’s love in the little things that you do, you can lighten someone’s load today and maybe even influence their eternity.
When God is involved, little things can make a big difference.
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