Small Ball

Learning the value of small things

Luke 13:18-21

Jesus said, “What is the Kingdom of God like? To what can I compare it? It is like a mustard seed that a man took and planted in the garden. When it was fully grown, it became a large bush and the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches.” Again he said, “To what shall I compare the Kingdom of God? It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of wheat flour until the whole batch of dough was leavened.”

           Boys and girls, do not underestimate the power of small things. For instance, if you had invested a small amount of money in Walmart when they opened their first store in 1962, you would be a millionaire today. Or, as Ben Franklin said in Poor Richard’s Almanac, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” In other words, a little effort of preventive maintenance (an ounce) will save you very great efforts to cure the problem later (a pound).

           Two well-worn bills arrived at the Federal Reserve Bank to be retired – a $100 and a $1. As they traveled down the conveyor belt, they struck up a conversation. The hundred reminisced about the interesting life he had, traveling all over the country. He said, “I’ve been to the finest restaurants, Broadway shows, Las Vegas, and amusement parks. I even went on a Caribbean cruise once. Where have you been?” “Oh,” said the one dollar bill, “I’ve been to a Methodist church, an Episcopalian church, a Baptist church, and a Lutheran church.” The hundred asked him, “What’s a church?” And yet, consider this: thanks to all those one dollar bills, the Church has been around for over 2,000 years, longer than any modern country or company or corporation. Shortly after WWII, Joseph Stalin, the Russian leader, sarcastically asked, “And how many divisions does the pope have?!” A better question would have been: “How many divisions does the pope need?” Do not underestimate the power of small things.

           In the gospel today, Jesus underscores the value of small things, indeed the entire Kingdom of God is built on the power of small things. Jesus employs the example of a mustard seed that becomes a huge tree and the yeast that makes dough rise and become bread. Jesus’ point is obvious: small things make a huge difference. Just think about this: Jesus himself was a relative nobody in his own time, and yet today most of the world marks time by his birth. The year 2015 is 2015 years since when? Since the time of Jesus: every time you write the date it is because of Jesus. Small, obscure, incidental things are not small at all.

           Let me give you some examples of small things that make a huge difference in your life. In baseball, some teams play “small ball” and focus on runners on one base at a time instead of homeruns. I’m proud of our Trinity Buffs football team that goes out and plays one down at a time and doesn’t worry about the scoreboard. Be aware of your words when you talk about each other. Small compliments can build others up, but criticism and teasing can tear people down. Thank you for your donations to the Annual Fund, even if it’s only a dollar. That’s where dollar bills like to hang out!

          Have you heard this Arabic proverb called “For want of a nail”? “For want of a nail, the shoe was lost; For want of a shoe, the horse was lost; For want of a horse, the rider was lost; For want of a rider, the message was lost; For want of a message, the battle was lost; For want of a battle the kingdom was lost; all for the want of a horseshoe nail.” A horseshoe nail is a small thing.

          Praised be Jesus Christ!