Small Gesture, Huge Impact

"When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, 'Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?' He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do..."
 John 6:5-6


In the above verse, Jesus is about to perform the miracle of feeding five thousand men. When Jesus asks Philip about buying food, Philip, out of disbelief, responds that eight months of wages would not be able to cover the cost of a single bite for each individual. God was calling Philip to move, but Philip's worldly point of view caused him to immediately give up. Gratefully, God had a plan. With only five loaves of bread and two fish, He fed each and every one of the men until they were full, then collected twelve baskets full of leftovers!

Too often, I allow worldly fears to influence my decisions. I clearly hear God's call for me to act, yet, like Philip, I hesitate. This hesitation allows fear to flow in, and before I know it, the opportunity has passed me by.

I was recently faced with a circumstance where worldly fear nearly inhibited what was nothing short of a miracle. In early December, my church provided flyers advertising the Christmas services for members to hand out around the community. A friend of mine came up with the idea to make plates of cookies to give to our neighbors while personally inviting them to church.

I was initially against the idea. I was terrified of offending my neighbors who do not practice Christianity. I made the excuse that it was too cold to go deliver plates of cookies and flyers. I feared that as a twenty-something, I would not have credibility with my neighbors. Most of all, I did not believe that cookies and flyers would make a difference. I could hear every single 'no' and pictured every single flyer getting thrown into the trash can. I squirmed in discomfort at the thought of discussing church with my neighbors, some of whom I had not yet met. Thankfully, God provided me with the encouragement of my friend, and I decided that God's work matters far more than my comfort.

God has such a way of knowing exactly what we need and providing it. He knew I needed encouragement to do His work, so He provided. The first few houses received the visit incredibly well. I engaged in some great conversation, and some people seemed to have a genuine interest in attending the services. One neighbor who had recently moved to the area had been praying for a church and was excited to learn that my church fit the desired specifications. Although my fingers and toes were numb, this encouragement was enough motivation to keep pressing on until I had visited all of the houses on my block. I was unsure if anyone would actually accept the invitation, but I was excited that I had begun relationships with some great people.

A couple of days later, I received a 'thank you' card in the mail. The card noted that in several years of living on the street, nobody had ever delivered Christmas cookies. Although a spiritual impact was not clearly acknowledged, I know that a seed was planted, and the avenue was opened for future conversations.

A few weeks after I received the first card, a different neighbor came to my door. With misty eyes, he shared that he was recovering from an extremely rough year, and the invitation to church was exactly what he needed. After decades of not having attended Sunday services, he visited the church for the Christmas services. God stirred in his heart to bring his wife the following week. The week after that, he and his wife brought another family member. God had grabbed hold of his heart and was not letting go. As he left, he handed over a card. The message inside was brief, yet powerful: "Thank you for changing my life."

Of course, I was not the One who changed his life but God working through me. I also realize that even if I had not invited him to church, God certainly could have found another way to reach this man. I want no part of any glory from this story other than to celebrate that God's kingdom is growing. That being said, I am so ashamed to think that I almost failed to move when God was telling me to move. It required the encouragement of a friend to get my prideful self to budge. I cared more about what people thought of me rather than what God thought of me. I focused on my age being a pitfall rather than considering that God's work has no limits. When I am prideful, God has to work around me; But, when I set aside my pride, God has room to do His work through me. Thankfully, God is Sovereign and His plan prevailed regardless of my attitude.

When God tells you to move, move! It doesn't matter how uncomfortable you may feel. Small steps can make a huge impact!  They can even change someone's life! Trust that God knows what He is doing. It does not matter if you feel incapable of His request. I get most of my inspiration to write when it is late at night. Once my brain begins to shut down and my own thoughts begin to settle, God's voice becomes more audible. It is when I am at my worst that God is at His best. When I am at my weakest, God is at His strongest.  Willingly surrender to Him, and His power will shine through you!