When It's the Little Things that Make a Difference

I am blessed – beyond measure, beyond anything I could ever have imagined. As I walk the halls of my church, I realize what a privilege it is to be able to kiss my children at the door of the same Sunday School building where my parents kissed me. I utter the same parting words my parents said to me: “Behave yourself,” or “Have fun,” or “Learn as much as you can!” Bittersweet is moving through the crowd, looking into the aging faces of those who mentored me, befriended me, scolded me, even babysat me. I can almost hear the voices of Sunday School Teachers Past telling me to read my Bible, obey my parents, pray every day… “God loves you! You can talk to Him about anything!”

And so I did. Tests for which I hadn’t studied, lies I had told – I begged God to reverse the consequences of my sins. He was my good luck charm, helping me find things I’d misplaced or win game after game of Parcheesi (of course “re-rolling” when I thought my dad wasn’t looking didn't hurt).

My prayer life has matured since those days, but the fact still remains, I can talk to God about anything. 2 Kings 6:5 - 7. Typical day, cutting some wood; one of the guys takes a swing, and – PLUNK – the axe head lands straight in the river. I know that look – the one that says, “Are you serious?” Then the realization, “Aw, shucks! I borrowed that!” But Elisha knows just Who to call; God’s mighty hand lifts it to the surface to be retrieved by the borrower. Just another day in “Believer-ville.”

Not only was this an easy task for the One Who spoke the earth and stars into existence, but it was a simple mishap He was glad to fix. Just as a straightforward word from a friend, or an honest compliment, or a seemingly insignificant effort on the part of a spouse can brighten your entire day, God is not too big to do the same for His children, or too self-absorbed to know what something like that can mean to us.  God knows us.  He knows when we need a good throttling; He knows when it takes a whisper. He knows that sometimes it's as elementary as getting us off the hook for a borrowed axe that can change things around. No matter how big or how small, He wants to hear it from us.