from little things come big things…

There is a tucked away little post World War II story of generosity and hope that I recently ran across.  It is such a wonderful reminder that actions, ever so small, can snowball into events that change a life, change a nation, and change a world.  In my recent insatiable thirst for history, this was a nugget I feel sure that I was meant to discover. I am so thankful for words and wisdom that find me in the most unlikely of places.

It all started with 2 sticks of gum. It is the story of Colonel Gail S. “Hal” Halvorsen, who came to be known as Uncle Wiggly Wings, the Chocolate Flyer, and the Berlin Candy Bomber in a spirit of generosity called  Christmas from Heaven.  It is an incredibly heartwarming story and one that I encourage you to read for yourself and let this act of compassion slowly blanket you in contemplative reverie.  However the Tree Star that I picked up in this story is not the act itself, but rather the remembered words of Hal’s father that prompted his humble act of service to begin with….”from little things come big things”.

There are so many little things that I am capable of doing if I just look around. Things that I might have overlooked…. because they ARE so little. I forget that little things might become big things. In the story of Hal, he almost didn’t act, because it was such a small gesture…what difference could it possibly make…like a drop of water in the ocean…but he did it anyway. God honored that act of kindness with an avalanche of benevolence far beyond what could ever have been imagined with that one little thing.

I believe that God honors what little we can do, as humans, if done from a heart of faith, hope, or love. I always think of the example of Jesus feeding the five thousand on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus asked the disciples to bring him the five small pieces of bread and the two small fish. The disciples did what they knew how to do, bring Jesus the fish and bread and Jesus did only He could do…fed the thousands.

If we do what we can, I believe that God will multiply our efforts immeasurably more than we can ever imagine. Hal’s Dad was right…from little things come big things…and I would do well to remember that every…single…day of my life.

^“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us” ~ Ephesians 3:20