Small Things

 

It is almost that time of year. The wildflowers are popping up in our neighborhood park and I am ready for the color and the smiles they bring. I am appreciative of the city for the sections of the park set aside for the flowers. It seems a small thing, I know, to commit a spot of green space here and there to be free from mowing for a few months. But the result of that small thing is huge.

This small act creates space for great beauty to grow. This small act changes the landscape for anyone who drives or walks past. This small act provides the backdrop for pictures of children and families. This small act speaks to me as an acknowledgment of the Creator and a sign of respect for creation.

Small things. So often unnoticed, so often overlooked, but what a big difference small things can make in a life or in the world. I can remember moments in my life when a small act on the part of another made a big difference for me. I recall that word of encouragement from a Jr. High teacher that put me on the path that would define my life’s work. I doubt she remembered that brief conversation for very long afterward, but it changed my life.

How often do we let the feeling that we can’t accomplish something big keep us from acting at all? May the wild flowers remind us of the power of small things. When Jesus was comparing faith to a mustard seed, he said, “Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.” Small acts can have a huge effect on those around us. Why not go out and do some small things today?

Peace.