By Rhonda Stinson
Clink. As I reached into my coat pocket for the car keys a penny fell to the ground. Instead of picking it up, I continued walking to my destination. It was just a puny little penny. Not even worth the effort it takes to bend over and pick it up. After a few steps, the Holy Spirit began His work in my heart and mind. God purposed this penny as a lesson in disguise.
If a quarter dropped out of my pocket, I would pick it up without hesitation. It’s worth the effort to pick it up. A dropped penny is a trivial amount. Then I began thinking about the parable of the poor woman’s mite and about the parable of the talents that were given to each of three servants.
Think about this pocket change as being tasks God has given you. Has He given you a puny penny task that, in your view, doesn’t amount to a hill of beans? Give a friend a ride, visit a neighbor, open a door for someone, spend time helping your child with homework? Did you obey without grumbling to fulfill your God-appointed duty, or did you let the opportunity pass? In other words, did you let the penny fall and continue walking?
You see, when we fail to respond to our call to action in the menial things, God will not bestow on us greater things. No quarters, ones, fives, hundreds. Nope. Nada. God does not see things as we do. His ways and thoughts are higher, oh so much higher, than our human minds can fathom. When He calls you to an area of servitude, He doesn’t measure things in pennies and quarters. He simply wants you to joyfully do what He has purposed for you. Nothing is menial to Him. He doesn’t measure things according to task size.
God will bless your obedience.
He dropped a seemingly menial opportunity in front of me last year at an assisted living facility. I stumbled upon a 67-year old woman who was almost blind. As I talked with her, I found out she liked listening to several different preachers on TV. We talked about some Bible stuff and I asked her if she’d like me to come read to her. One book led to another and our relationship grew in the process. She told me she asked God to send someone to read to her and I was the angel He sent (Ha!). If I were blind, I too would long to be able to read my Bible, devotions and other books.
The only thing that made me take on this responsibility was the teaching of Jesus. He said, treat others and you would like to be treated.
This small act of obedience has been rewarding for me and for Patty. She is very inquisitive which makes me more studious, because I want to answer her questions accurately according to what the Bible says. Another opportunity opened up to teach the Word to several others. I sit on the edge of my seat waiting to see the next door God will open. It’s exciting!
What small step of obedience is God asking you to take? Is it resisting a certain food, getting a walk, spending focused time to prayer or study, forgiving someone, giving a little extra in tithe? Taking this step will lead to joy and fulfillment. It will help you become more discerning to God’s voice when He asks you to take another step.
One small step of obedience could have a ripple effect that touches multitudes.
“So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ “His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’”(Matthew 25:20, 21).
