“I think the tiniest little thing can change the course of your day, which can change the course of your year, which can change who you are.” ~ Taylor Swift
I am not encouraging anyone to be an underachiever; however, I believe that we sometimes do more harm than good for some people when we tell them to “set their sights high”. When we do so, we often imply that anything less than that ultimate sight, that ultimate goal, is not worth accomplishing. However, how are we going to get to that ultimate goal if we do not have little successes all along the way?
I love going on cruise vacations. I do not think that there is a captain alive who simply walked into an office somewhere, said “I want to be a captain”, and was given command of a vessel. No. That person would have begun at the “bottom of the ladder.” That person would have done a lot of smaller jobs, proving competence each step of the way, until ultimately being awarded the command of a ship. The same holds true for an airline pilot or any other job that requires a high degree of skill.
While we might desire the big and bold and beautiful, the path to it is filled with little steps, little successes, little failures, little changes along the way. Each change, each correction, makes us a better person. As we become better and more competent, the next step can be a bit bigger and the next task can be a bit more demanding. Ultimately, we might be doing some pretty amazing stuff. But that will only come after a period – perhaps a lifetime – of small steps.
We might desire to be very holy people. That is not going to happen overnight either. Holiness is at the end of a path. The path is filled with work, prayer, service, and sacrifice. The path is filled with tiny steps as well as the occasional huge leap of faith. Do not shy away from the small stuff, the small steps. Embrace them and know that they are on the path to bigger and better things.
FAITH ACTION: In a variety of little ways today, bring Jesus into the different places you will be.