I've been thinking about how God comes through in the little things and how much those little things mean. At the church I go to there is a key needed to get into the basement to park the car and go up to different levels in the elevator.
I've been going to this church for over a year and I still don't have a key, so on occasion I’ve been stuck in the basement or outside the building thinking, “Oh no, what do I do?”
One day, I was stuck inside the building. As I was praying, the door opened, and it was a faithful couple who serve at church. To them it was nothing: they didn't even know I was stuck. I was driving home thanking Jesus and if I analyse it in the natural it was just good timing, but no, I won't belittle what God did.
He is sovereign, he is in control and maybe, just maybe, he aligned their timing going to church with the exact time I was stuck in the basement praying for help.
Over the year I’ve worked out there are certain times the basement door will be open so I can get in without a problem, but getting out is another story.
Today I was stuck in the basement again and as I waited, and realised no-one was coming, I thought, “If I leave my car here, run out the fire exit, go around, tap the button on the intercom, and the door opens, I will be good.” In my head I was like, “Oh I better hurry. I don't want to hold anyone up if they want to leave.”
So I rushed off to the stairs and I saw these two little birds, and I thought, “Oh no!!! They’re stuck in here.” As I got to the stairs I ran up, and on the last step I tripped over, hit my head on the door, then I opened the door and looked back to see if there were any cameras, laughing as I thought, “Wow that would of have been embarrassing.”
So I got to the intercom, tapped the button, and as the door opened I rushed through to get into my car, and I saw these two little birds fly out. I thought, “Wow, awesome, freedom.”
As I was thinking about this when I got home, I was blown away at how God used me to set the birds free. I'm just thankful and I couldn't help but think how good God is, and how much those small things mean. To those little birds it wasn't so little — they had been flying around the basement for who knows how long — and to me, I was stuck in there with no way out, but God provided a way.
All it took was someone pushing a button to open a door. Does this remind you of anything God has done for you?
So where am I going?
God has given us this great honour to do deeds for other people and I have begun to understand what Paul was talking about when he quoted Jesus:
“In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
(Acts chapter 20, verse 35)
Sometimes we go about our day doing what God has put on our heart and we may not see the full result of our actions, like just showing up to church and opening a door, giving someone a smile on the subway, telling someone they’re awesome, buying someone a bottle of water or talking to someone that is struggling.
You could be the only person that smiled at them all day, the only person to encourage them, the first person ever to buy them a bottle of water, the only person who has stopped to ask if they’re okay when 100 other people have walked past.
Something that may seem small to us could mean the world to someone. You’re showing that you actually care, that they actually matter, and it this glorifies God. We don't always see the affect of what we’re doing, we can get discouraged because things take time, but God is at work.
Trust in the process. Do not give up. Keep going with what God has laid on your heart, keep encouraging people, keep blessing people, keep praying, keep reading his Word and listening to his Spirit.
Maybe for now all you see is a couple of birds being set free….maybe, just maybe, this is just the beginning of what's to come.
Shane Rowney is currently living on the Gold Coast serving in a local church. He enjoys surfing, gym and music but most of all spending time with the Lord.