“Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin.” Zechariah 4:10
Monday has arrived and is starting its countdown to the close of day. I had a list of things I wanted to accomplish to start my week strong, you know just to gain momentum on the week.Writing was on that list and here I sit staring at a half empty type written page. It kind of defines my life as I reflect back and remember halfway projects left undone. I sit at the screen in front of me. It bids “come on fill it with your thoughts,” but I sit before it intimidated, fearful even. I don’t want to start. I don’t want to dig deep, I don’t want to let my thoughts come to the fore front of my mind. I question myself, “why do I care if I write or not?” But in my heart of hearts, I know the reason I write. I write because it is the way I commune with God. It is our time set aside, letting Him fill my mind with His thoughts. So why do I run from this time? Why am I scared to approach this post? Then I saw my pen box. “Fear not… God is with me.” And I read my verse for the day, “for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin.” So I take the picture and I start with one word, then a whole sentence. And now I have completed my first paragraph. Onto the next to try to land this plane.
My motivation quote for this Monday from INSPIRATION CO., “You need to do the thing already sitting in front of you.” I’m smiling, shaking my head, “God, You are very witty.” I’ve put off writing all day until I got tired of thinking about it. I made myself sit at my desk. “I will write.” Then I paused to play a game of solitaire. I think it is called procrastination. I’m good at that, in fact if procrastination was a project I have a lifetime of that.
Again, I love to write. God hard wired me to share my thoughts. God hard wired me and gave me a huge “sanctified imagination.” That’s why I write. It is why I built this website. It is my place to let all my thoughts come spewing out of my mind. I get them out and into these posts and it allows me to go to sleep without thoughts tumbling around. I wonder if that’s how King David felt, and Shepard boy David as he composed so many of the Psalms.
They are called “projects left undone,” and my life is full of them because I have been too intimidated to complete. Or, let’s just call a spade a spade, I have just been too lazy to complete.
The parable I’ve been mulling over all day comes from Matthew 25. A merchant goes on a journey and entrusts his servants with his possessions. To one he gave 5 talents, to another he gave 2 talents, and to the final he gave one talent. You know how it goes. The one with 5 talents put them to work and earned five more, the same way the servant with two invested and earned two more, but alas the one who received one was frightened and dug a hole in the ground and hid the master’s talent.
One question keeps rotating through my brain, have I been hiding my Master’s talent? Did I bury it?
We were all created to create. We have been endowed by our Marvelous Creator with certain unalienable talents. Our hands are not empty, they have just been buried. But God isn’t standing over us demanding, “why haven’t you finished?” He is simply inviting us to start. Start small. Just begin and then do the next faithful step. I think that is where my problem lies. I picture God waiting to be impressed with the big finale, the dramatic climax. But I look at scripture and I know a God who works through the small things, the tiniest of details. God is not embarrassed by small beginnings. You do know the story of the boy who offered five loaves of bread and two fish. He gave what he had, small as they were, but Jesus made something huge out of the small. I don’t embarrass God when I write. He just wants me to come and meet with Him.
I woke up this Monday morning waiting to get motivated. God gave me motivational quotes in every verse I read. God motivated me, I just needed to start small. How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. It’s called faithfulness. God is always faithful, I just need to reciprocate. My faithfulness rarely looks impressive, but when I ask, “Lord show me.” I give Him my small and He ends up filling this screen.
Name the talent you have been burying. Start small and just begin. Small obedience is still obedience. Give God your Tuesday. Small progress is still progress. Don’t let shame make you hide your talent.
What if Paul had never written his first letter? We wouldn’t have half the New Testament. What if Andrew had told the boy, “Your gift is too small.”? I have a feeling Jesus would have fed the multitude with another small beginning, but Andrew wouldn’t have been a story line in this amazing miracle.
”For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose.” Philippians 2:13