The other day I was cooking a soup—anxious to make it full of all the ingredients that promote good health—and I couldn’t find the twirly blades for my food processor. The smallest part was missing—and the entire appliance was rendered useless—a whole meal planned that grinds to a halt for want of that particular small part… So many times in life it’s the littlest things—the seemingly insignificant things—that are necessary for any “grand” outcome! So, maybe the little things are actually big things—and sometimes the very necessary small stuff only masquerades as the insignificant.
In today’s Gospel (The Third Sunday of Easter), the Disciples are asked by Jesus to “Cast the net” “Come have breakfast” “Tend my sheep” “Follow me.” These seem like small and simple things; small and every day actions—but they make all the difference in the entire world to us. How many moments in any life, seemingly small moments, become important to the rest of what follows? (There is a saying: “Little moments, humble though they be, make the mighty ages of eternity.”)
Have you ever noticed that much of life is made of events or happenings or opportunities or things that might fall into a classification of a very small thing, small stuff, but then, not really? There is small stuff on the negative side—that may actually be big stuff. For example: it may be that person at work who gets on your nerves. You come into the office with a great attitude and within minutes after a short interaction your day feels ruined. It's a small thing, but not really. It may be a repeated conversation with your spouse, or your children, or your boss—and yet, nothing changes. It could be that squeak or rattle your car started making after hitting that pot hole; or maybe that tender, odd bump that showed up on your neck; or a cough that will not cease... Seemingly simple, relatively small things—but not really—and they are things that may have a significant impact on your everyday life.
But the diminutive may also fuel the portentous—the seemingly unessential being in fact the most essential of all: like the twirly blades, or a small prayer, or a simple request. These things may become the rudders in our lives—steering and propelling us far below the surface of our grand decisions, helping us to do the work we need to do; that we are called to do. It might be the note you received in the mail from the friend you have not seen in a long time. It's a little thing, but not really. It might be a smile, or a good and hearty laugh, a hug, listening and forgiving, sharing stories, a few gentle, wise words—small things that may mean so much in the grand scheme of life. Sometimes, so much big stuff may hinge on the small stuff!
This, then, is the challenge for Disciples of Christ: Don't be the person who does that little thing that can turn someone’s day wrong—but do what we would call a small, positive thing. “Come, have breakfast.” “Cast the net.” Be the person who does the things that make life more joyous and fulfilling—even and especially in the small stuff of every day. “Tend my sheep.” They be little acts of love, or maybe little resistances, or small noble stands—and yet they may affect this existence of ours and others. “Follow me.” Small stuff—everyday actions.
Keep singing!
Elizabeth Dyc
In today’s Gospel (The Third Sunday of Easter), the Disciples are asked by Jesus to “Cast the net” “Come have breakfast” “Tend my sheep” “Follow me.” These seem like small and simple things; small and every day actions—but they make all the difference in the entire world to us. How many moments in any life, seemingly small moments, become important to the rest of what follows? (There is a saying: “Little moments, humble though they be, make the mighty ages of eternity.”)
Have you ever noticed that much of life is made of events or happenings or opportunities or things that might fall into a classification of a very small thing, small stuff, but then, not really? There is small stuff on the negative side—that may actually be big stuff. For example: it may be that person at work who gets on your nerves. You come into the office with a great attitude and within minutes after a short interaction your day feels ruined. It's a small thing, but not really. It may be a repeated conversation with your spouse, or your children, or your boss—and yet, nothing changes. It could be that squeak or rattle your car started making after hitting that pot hole; or maybe that tender, odd bump that showed up on your neck; or a cough that will not cease... Seemingly simple, relatively small things—but not really—and they are things that may have a significant impact on your everyday life.
But the diminutive may also fuel the portentous—the seemingly unessential being in fact the most essential of all: like the twirly blades, or a small prayer, or a simple request. These things may become the rudders in our lives—steering and propelling us far below the surface of our grand decisions, helping us to do the work we need to do; that we are called to do. It might be the note you received in the mail from the friend you have not seen in a long time. It's a little thing, but not really. It might be a smile, or a good and hearty laugh, a hug, listening and forgiving, sharing stories, a few gentle, wise words—small things that may mean so much in the grand scheme of life. Sometimes, so much big stuff may hinge on the small stuff!
This, then, is the challenge for Disciples of Christ: Don't be the person who does that little thing that can turn someone’s day wrong—but do what we would call a small, positive thing. “Come, have breakfast.” “Cast the net.” Be the person who does the things that make life more joyous and fulfilling—even and especially in the small stuff of every day. “Tend my sheep.” They be little acts of love, or maybe little resistances, or small noble stands—and yet they may affect this existence of ours and others. “Follow me.” Small stuff—everyday actions.
Keep singing!
Elizabeth Dyc
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