Tiny things

I looked down at the tiny little fingers that rested on my chest and felt the weight of them as my breathing made his hand rise and fall, rise and fall. My son, Austin, is now five months old and every day I get to watch his personality develop, his face burst into a smile when he sees me, and his innocent eyes look at me so brightly. He is so small, but he holds so much power in my life. His hand is tiny, but when it finds my finger, his grip is so strong. There is so much love packed into his little body, it causes my heart to swell.

I found myself pausing at a message that my mom texted to me earlier this week. She mentioned that my life revolves around tiny things. I screenshotted it. It changed my perspective. She is right. I celebrate Austin eating all of his cereal, find peace in his eyes closing to rest after we play, relax when the warm coffee hits my tongue, let myself linger by the window to see the sun rise, and pause to realize the birds are puffed up in the cold and getting a snack at our birdfeeder. Progress is made at a snail's pace compared to how I would zip around the house before having a child, food is eaten so much quicker, and sleep is elusive. Tiny steps are big ones for me these days, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Those tiny things are the most important to me.

I find that we can so easily get caught up in the big things, the things that take up a lot of space physically and emotionally, that we so often overlook the importance of the little things. We sum up our lives in a few bullet points when someone asks how we are, we take note of the highlights, rarely pointing out the almost dismissible details that make up our day to day. As easy as those little moments might be to overlook, they are often filled with the most peace, cause us to ponder, create a curiosity, and bring us joy. As we crawl through the February coldness, I think we could all use the reminder of what power the tiny things hold.

Everything that grows to be vast and strong in this world has to start out small. It is fact. In this way, we can cherish the tiny things, the seeds that are strewn across this world, and nurture them so that they take hold in our lives and they grow. If we feel stress melt away when we feel the sunshine on our face, we can spend more time outside. When we spend time with our children, they will grow up knowing they matter to us and that they can trust us. If we enjoy admiring nature, we can plant trees for birds to make nests, and put out feeders so they have easy access to food. Just because it starts out tiny, does not mean it cannot become something bigger, something stronger. We see this concept often in the Bible, where we can appreciate how small things can grow. Matthew 13:32 explains "It is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown, it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches." This verse refers to the mustard seed, and it is so special because it highlights to us how our nourishment creates growth, and this growth benefits and serves others. Just like the mustard seed, our faith, the little blessings we let take hold, the ideas that the Holy Spirit gives to us, are all also this way. When they grow, they allow us to serve others for the grace of God.

I mentioned faith. Yes, even when we believe our faith is great, life can often shake us down and the devil targets cracks in our faith to make it smaller than we thought it was. When this happens, we should not get discouraged. Luke 16:10 reminds us that "One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much." Our faith has power, no matter how little it may seem. A little goes a long way. This verse is also exceptional at explaining to us that what we give room in our lives, no matter how small, matters. If we cling to blessings, faith, and God, He will give us more of those things. If we make even the smallest amount of space in our lives for the devil, for sin, for temptation, it will also gain more traction.

We should never underestimate what the Lord can do with very little. I think about Jesus feeding the five thousand with merely five loaves of bread and two fish. Matthew 14:19-21 explains "And He directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, He gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children." He took very little and made it bountiful. I then consider how David went to battle with Goliath with merely five stones in his pouch and his sling. 1 Samuel 17:50 describes how "David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him." Here, God took very little and made it powerful. These are just two examples of many times in the Bible where we are shown how God pays attention to the tiny things, uses them for His glory, and creates strength and bounty through them.

Tiny things matter, and they have earned room in our lives. In the grand scheme of it all, we are also very small. Yet, God cares about each and every one of us, regardless of size or age. He takes His time with us, cultivates and encourages us, loves and appreciates us, even though we have very little to offer Him. God loves to celebrate the tiny things, and this is just one of many ways that we can learn from Him. Tiny things are important, and they can often grow to be much bigger. Just as we are important to Him even though we are small, the small things that God places in our lives are important to our peace, well-being, and joy as well. I pray that we can all slow down and appreciate the tiny things just a little bit more!