Victimized By Bigness

Mark 12:41-44

The world gives its attention to the monumental things in life, and ignores the significance of the little.
We are victimized by bigness.
We are impressed by those who have become billionaires and those who have become millionaires.
We are impressed with the skyscrapers that reach high in the sky.
We are impressed with our factories and successful businesses.
We are impressed with our large cities and all that they offer.

We have ignored the fact that a bigger city does not breed better people.
Even our churches seek to become the largest and the one which offers more programs.

We live in a world in which bigness is exalted.
There are crowds of people everywhere.
Many football stadiums could have as many as 100,000 attend a football game.
Basketball crowds can have as many as 25,000 or more in attendance.
Recently more than 52,000 attended a basketball game in the Astrodome.

Yet, as impressive as these numbers are, there are as many as thirty, forty or fifty million
watching on television.
We are victimized by bigness.

The world of science can call our attention to the significance of the little things in life.
The nuclear physicist can show us a tiny piece of uranium the size of a golf ball
and tell us that there is enough power contained in that golf ball size uranium to destroy a large city.

Medical scientists can isolate a drop of blood and teach us that many armies are contained
within that minute drop of blood.
The red cells struggle viciously against the white cells.
That same medical scientist can show us a drop of clear vaccine and tell us that
one drop of that vaccine could mean the difference between life and death.

Jesus reminded us that little things are significant and vital.
He taught his disciples that the cup of cold water given in His name will not go unrewarded.
He told the story of the man who had 100 sheep, and that ninety-nine were safe within the fold,
but one was lost.
This one was so important that the shepherd left the group within the fold to search
for the sheep that was lost.

Jesus also illustrated the value and importance of the little when he told the story of the woman
who had ten coins.
One coin was lost, and that coin was so important that she searched diligently until she found it.
When she found the coin, she called on her neighbors to join her in rejoicing.

Our world today is captivated by majestic greatness and the magnitude of things,
but there is an important significance in the smallest imaginable thing in life.
Littleness is usually overlooked by many in our world, but it must be absolutely emphasized
in our spiritual experience.

Jesus watched the people as they placed their gifts into one of thirteen trumpet-shaped
receptacles placed in the Temple to receive their offerings.
Some made large gifts indicating their financial offering of which they were very proud.
The self-styled religious man drew his robes close to his body as if to shut out all sin
from his life, and gave a large gift.
He probably tossed the largest coins that he had against the sides of the container
in order that the worshipers might determine the large amount of his gift by the clanging
of the metal upon metal.

But then this destitute woman came forward and gave all that she had -- her entire living.
In our language today, we would say that this widow gave less than a nickel.

In the eyes of those who watched, her gift wasn't very impressive,
but this gift was golden in the eyes of Jesus.
They gave a portion, and only a portion of what they had.
She gave her all!
She put in all that she had.
It was her entire living.
It was everything that she had in the world.
She left herself nothing, and trusted God to provide for her.

They gave out of a sense of duty.
She gave because she wanted to give.
They gave to be seen of men.
She gave because she loved the Lord.

They gave to get glory to themselves.
She gave to the glory of God!
They gave what they did not need.
She gave what she really needed.

They gave out of their wealth.
She gave out of her poverty!
They gave and had much remaining.
She gave everything she had.

The significance of the little is sometimes overlooked.
Many today are magnifying the great things of the world and overlooking what seems
to be insignificant.
Perhaps, the most significant thing that we could do today is to speak a word of encouragement.
Proverbs 25:11 said: "A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver."
The child that passes by your house or a neighbor may need a word of encouragement
more than anything else that you could give.

We could very well come under the condemnation of God by failing to tap the greatest resource of power.
Some years ago, a news analyst said:
"Prayer is the greatest unused power in America today."
But many people would say that words and prayers are insignificant or at least not very important.
But Jesus would not agree.
Jesus has never seen anything so little that it is unimportant.

Mark 1:35 says that prayer was so important to Jesus that He slipped away to
a private place and prayed.
Prayer was important to Jesus, and our prayers are still important to Jesus.
Many in our world would say that there is no urgency in prayer, but communion with God
was so important to Jesus that He scheduled His prayer.
Prayer should never be considered as an insignificant experience.

In the matter of responsibility, we are tempted often to overlook the little thing,
for Jesus warned, "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross,
and follow me."

But our world in which we live doesn't give much attention to little things.
Someone else can perform the task.
Someone else can bear the burden.
Someone else can do what is necessary.
Someone else can do what is required.

Some would say, "Why should I deny myself and take up a cross and follow a lowly carpenter.
If I bear a cross, then it must be an attractive cross, and one which would appeal to others."
Attractiveness in our world is tremendously important.
Woe to the person who is determined to sacrifice only for that which appeals to the human mind.

It is also true that our attitude toward the Bible and its teaching often overlooks the tremendous,
eternal truths that are found in small statements.
If it was possible for a person to take all the Bibles in the world, and place them on the table
before him or her, and take one large pair of scissors and snip away those precious words
from the pages, there is no question that many people would object to such an action.

A person might begin with the Old Testament indicating that it is relatively unimportant
in the light of the New Testament and would turn to Psalm 23:1 and snip out the words,
"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want."
Most of us would instantaneously object by saying, "In the hour of my greatest physical need,
that verse was so precious and life-saving to me."

Some might go as far to delete John 3:16 which says: "For God so loved the world,
that he gave his only begotten Son…"
There's no question that many would object and declare that that was the first Biblical verse
that they committed to their memory.

Most deeds in life are of little consequence and are not very serious in nature.
The person who lives only for the great deeds in life will miss most of life's joy for most of life
is not composed of great deeds, but is composed of multitudes of seemingly insignificant acts.
Every spring throughout America thousands of boys and young men will be on the playgrounds
in America's favorite pastime participating -- baseball.

Not many will ever see the day that their names will be listed on the roster of the New York Yankees
or the Chicago Cubs.
So, why do they play?
Why do they discipline their bodies as they do?
Why do they spend so many hours a day in learning how to throw, catch, hit, and run the bases?

They don't do it so that they can become great stars.
Most of them know that they will never make a lot of money playing baseball.
They play because of the sheer pleasure that they have from playing the game of baseball.
We enjoy life by performing well in the little tasks of life.

The significance of the little thing is sometimes misinterpreted.
Some people would look upon the little thing as unimportant.
They would live as though whether a certain act is performed or not, and regardless of
a person's intent or accomplishment, that those little things contribute absolutely nothing
to life or its enjoyment.

Many people who are disappointed in life and have experienced tragedy in their lives
have committed themselves to believe that little things are unimportant.
Some would look at their vocation or to social approval or ability, and say,
"The little thing in life is unimportant.
What I am, and what I have achieved is what counts, but not the little things."
But we must not become the victim of such false and preposterous thinking.
The little things in life are indispensable.

Everything to Jesus was important.
Life is composed of a multiplicity of parts, many of them are infinitesimal,
and they are important to Jesus.
Jesus is interested in the little things of life.
Therefore, we can take all of our problems to Jesus.
He made the wings of a butterfly and he created the eyes of the insect;
and He made all of them beautiful.
Jesus doesn't see anything as insignificant.
He is aware of the sparrow's need.
He clothes the lilies of the fields.

We must recognize the value of the little things of life.
Life is composed of a series of little acts, little deeds, little thoughts, but each act is important
in its own way and in its own place.

If Christians realized that little things are important, then the lamentable things of life would be decreased.
There are broken hearts, broken homes, and sobbing souls all over the world because
some have failed to realize the significance of the little things in life.

A newspaper story from many years ago told of a traveler who walked from the Golden Gate Bridge
to New York State.
When he arrived in New York State, a newspaper reporter interviewed him, and asked,
"What was your greatest obstacle?
Was it the mountains you had to cross?
Was it the lack of food?
Was it the rivers you had to cross?"

His answer was, "No, I could normally find a pass through the mountains;
and by walking alongside the streams I could usually find a bridge; and, luckily, some farmer
was willing to share his food with me if necessary."

"Then what was your greatest obstacle?"

"Mister, the thing that almost defeated me was the sand in my shoes."

In 1845, Julia Fletcher Carney, a school teacher in Boston, was preparing a lesson for
some Bible-school children.
She wanted to emphasize the value of small things, and so she penned this "little" poem.

"Little drops of water,
Little grains of sand,
Make the mighty ocean, and the pleasant land.
So the little moments, humble though they be,
Make the mighty ages of eternity."

The poem later was included in the McGuffey's Reader, and became world famous

Listen again to the words of the text: " This poor widow have cast more in, than all they which have
cast into the treasury: for all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all
that she had, even all her living." (Mark 12:43-44)

There are many examples in the Bible of how the Lord's people, with God's help achieved
amazing results by using the "tiny" means at their disposal.

Jochebed saved the life of her baby (Moses), and thus delivered a nation of slaves,
by using a small basket of woven reeds (Exodus. 2:3).

Later Moses used a simple rod to part the waters of the Red Sea (Exodus. 14:16ff)
which allowed the Israelites to cross over into Sinai, and saved them from Pharaoh
and his pursuing army.

When Israel was about to enter the Promised Land, spies were sent to survey the hostile territory.
Rahab, a woman of faith, received the spies and hid them.
She used a small cord to enable them to escape. (Joshua. 2:15; cf. Heb. 11:31)

Samson used a jaw bone of a dead donkey as a weapon and saved his people
from the Philistines. (Judges 15:14ff)

When Paul's life was threatened by rebel Jews in Damascus, he escaped by a basket
and was lowered down from an opening in the city wall. (Acts 9:25; 2 Cor. 11:33)

We must never discount the significance of the "small," for God still uses the unimportant
and insignificant to accomplish amazing results. (cf. 2 Cor. 12:9)

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 battle was lost.
For want of a battle the kingdom was lost.
And all for the want of a horseshoe nail."
-- Source unknown

Life becomes more meaningful when we acknowledge the significance of the little.

Little Is Much When God Is In It
"In the harvest field now ripened,
There's a work for all to do.
Hark, the voice of God is calling,
To the harvest calling you.

Does the place you're called to labor
Seem so small and little known?
It is great if God is in it,
And He'll not forget His own.

When the conflict here is ended
And our race on earth is run,
He will say, if we are faithful,
"Welcome home, my child, well done."

Chorus:
Little is much when God is in it.
Labor not for wealth or fame.
There's a crown and you can win it,
If you go in Jesus' name."
-- Kittie J. Suffield

Sermon adapted from several sources by Dr. Harold L. White