~Photo by h. koppdelaney
And Saul answered and said, “Am I not a Benjamite, of the smallest of
the tribes of Israel, and my family the least of all the families of the
tribe[a] of Benjamin? Why then do you speak like this to me?” 1 Samuel 9:21 NKJV
Ordinary tasks can lead to the extraordinary. Ordinary days
can show us an extraordinary God at work. This is as true today as it was for
the man chosen to be the first king of Israel: Saul.
In some ways, Saul was extraordinary. He stood a head taller
than the other men of Israel and was strong and good-looking. Yet, he was from
the least tribe of Israel and he was anointed as king while doing a menial,
ordinary task.
Lost donkeys? Saul
may have scoffed at his father’s request to look for some lost donkeys. He could
have said, “Donkeys? Really?” He didn’t. He just faithfully and obediently went
out to look for donkeys. I realize in the present day looking for donkeys would
not be ordinary task, but it certainly was in those days. It was as menial a
chore as taking out the trash or picking the weeds. He was faithful in the small things.
After this point, his life would change forever. He would
leave as a son doing his chores, and return as a powerful king tasked with
uniting and protecting a dozen tribes containing millions of people.
God calls us to be faithful in the small things. In a
prophecy recorded in Zechariah 4:10, the Lord states, “Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the
work begin.” (NLT). Jesus also says, “He
who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much;” Luke 16:10 (NKJV). The
extraordinary is entrusted to those who are faithful in ordinary things.
Be faithful in the small things. Look up and see what God
has for you. Do everything, every small or large task as unto the Lord. As God
promised to Abram, “I am your shield,
your exceedingly great reward.” Genesis 15:1 NKJV
Warren Wiersbe says, “Large doors swing on small
hinges.” We might feel like the
task we are doing is menial, but God sees all the pieces working together.
May you continue to do the ordinary, knowing that our
extraordinary God is at work.
Blessings,
Robert
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