I often tell others, and most often tell myself – it’s the little things. Whatever it is in life – it’s the little things. At home. At work. With your spouse, and your kids. With any relationship. When you’re trying to get out of debt. Trying to rid yourself of a vice.
It’s the little things.
if my son is not throwing strikes, or not hitting the ball, or not sinking a shot in basketball – it’s the little things. Focus on the little details, and you string enough of the little things together and it results in something big. Something better. But you have to be patient. And you have to have the right goal in mind.
It’s why I love the Little Way of St. Therese. It’s why I love the Little Rule of St. Benedict. Simple to understand. Simple in thinking. But big in power.
Everything in my life – every life changing event, every giant leap forward after a couple steps back – has resulted from little decisions. Some small tweak. Some minor adjustment. Deciding not on the large thing in the forefront, but that minor one which is somewhat hidden, in the background.
The little thing.
I read a reflection this morning, and in it the writer says, “the goal of the missionary is to do God’s will, not to be useful or to win the lost. A missionary is useful and he/she does win the lost. But that is not their goal. Their goal is to do the will of the Lord.”
When you hear the word mission or missionary – what comes to mind? Is it doing the will of the Lord, or is it doing something that has purpose or brings others to Christ? It’s ok, be honest?
Prior to this morning, I would have answered this question with doing something that has purpose, and brings others to God, but not really focusing on God’s will first.
And oh yeah, as long as it is in my plan. As long as it is on my terms, and is something I like to do. Then yeah, I’m good with God’s will. Right?
Because if we truly say that our goal is to do the will of the Lord, I think the vast majority of us are afraid of what that means. Maybe I’m wrong, but I’m just speaking from experience.
So, imagine if God told you as He did His Apostles that His will is for you is to:
Take nothing for the journey,
Luke 9: 3-5
neither walking stick, nor sack, nor food, nor money,
and let no one take a second tunic.
Whatever house you enter, stay there and leave from there.
And as for those who do not welcome you,
when you leave that town,
shake the dust from your feet in testimony against them.
Jesus even gave them the ability to heal and cast out demons, but surely, they still had to be concerned about traversing the countryside with nothing but a tunic and the sandals on their feet.
If your goal is to truly do the will of the Lord, are we truly missionaries for the Church? Because that is what we are supposed to do. That is our mission – to go out and be disciples of all nations. Why? Because that is God’s will.
But only if it fits our own plans, right?
I seriously contemplated this today as I read that reflection. But then this thought crossed my mind. Yes, Jesus may in fact call you to do something drastic, something crazy someday that defies logic, that is His will that will bring purpose and help people and bring others to Christ.
But more often than not, it’s the little missions.
If you notice, Jesus didn’t send His disciples out to convert all of the Middle East in one fell swoop. He sent them out from town to town, from house to house, from family to family. He sent them out on a bunch of little missions, and God provided for them.
That’s all He asks of us. Each day is a day of little missions. We get up. We go to work, whether it is in an office or the home. We do our work, and then we come home to our family, maybe we interact with others in the community in some way, and then we go to bed, and then do it all over again.
In the midst and in-between, we have little missions. Encounters and interactions with people. Using our gifts and talents and abilities. Being kind and respectful. Helping others along the way. If we chain all of these together throughout the day, a bunch of little differences can work together to make a big difference in the world around us and in others’ lives.
But here’s the deal, and this is what I am truly beginning to see – if you do this solely for the good of others and to bring people to God – people will eventually turn you away. You will burn out. The nature of humanity will eventually snuff out your passions and purpose and your attitude, your outlook, your drive will be soured.
It is truly only by striving to do God’s will in everything, in all these Little Missions throughout the day that will truly bring you a lasting purpose and passion in helping others and bring others to Christ. The cliché “what would Jesus do?” But it all begins with Christ – and He should be your Passion and Purpose in all you do. And maybe it’s not asking what Jesus would do in any given moment, but what He is asking you to doin that moment.
I think that is why the Apostles were able to do what they did. They made a difference in others’ lives and brought others to Christ, not because it made them feel good or because it was easy, or because it fit their plan, heck, they just wanted to be fishermen. They did it because it was Gods will, and they trusted in Him and in His calling. And then they strung together a bunch of Little Missions that changed the world.
We can do the same. Day by day. Moment by moment. Mission by mission.
