Little Things Mean A Lot

Luke 16:10 – If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won't be honest with greater responsibilities. (NLT)

As I talk to others about their marriages, they say that it is the small things that either keep them together or end the marriage. A few poorly chosen words can make a spouse's mind spiral out of control, and voices can be raised. Sometimes, when blood pressures lower, each one tries to explain what they meant by what they said, as opposed to what the other one heard. Many times, a quick reaction was brought on by one partner thinking that the other meant something a certain way, only to find out differently when they explained what they meant. Then, they feel sorry for their reaction. It is the little things that mean a lot.

Little things — be they gestures, actions, or words — are the many small things that are natural expressions of our hearts. They are not always the result of preplanning but are spontaneous expressions of what we feel moved to do or say.

For years up to age 20, I used to play touch tag with my father. I would sneak up on him, touch him, and say, "Tag! You're it!" then run upstairs to bed. Many times, my father would wait until I was in bed, when he would come up and tag me. This may seem like a little thing to you, but it meant a lot to both my dad and me.

After 49 years of marriage, my wife and I still play touch tag with each other.

Little things mean a lot in a marriage to show our love, like blowing a kiss, writing a short "I love you!" note, or making a short phone call to say, "I love you!"

If we pay attention to the little things in the lives of our families, friends, and business associates, we cannot help but make a positive impact on all of them.

There is an old Gospel song by Kittie L. Suffield:

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.

I think that this song captures the essence of what Jesus was trying to say in His parables concerning the kingdom of heaven. Little is much when God is in it!

Prayer: Dear heavenly Father, show us how the little things in life can mean a lot. Give us love and patience with our loved ones. May we use words to express our love so that we can overcome hurtful words or words that hurt because we misunderstand them. We seek Your strength to help, O Lord. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.