Little Is Much When God is In It

I sat in church Sunday morning in Michigan, watching a video of work being done in Haiti, work I wasn’t there to do, work I seemingly had little to do with. As I heard the songs I remembered my brother, Joel, calling me and asking for some suggestions for music and he had used my suggestions to make the video, but that didn’t feed any Haitians.

Then I caught a glimpse of Brent in one of the shots. Brent who I had traveled with for five years. Brent who had answered a call to begin a ministry to Haiti long before an earthquake devastated an already crumbling world. I saw him in the background of what looked like a classroom or small church and my mind began whirling with circumstances.

Joel wouldn’t have had his heart ripped out in that earthquake if he hadn’t sponsored a child there before it happened.

Joel wouldn’t have sponsored a child there if he hadn’t known Brent.

Joel wouldn’t have known Brent if I hadn’t introduced them.

I wouldn’t have introduced them if I hadn’t auditioned and subsequently been asked to join Images Creative Group led by Brent Gambrell and Henry Jernigan.

I wouldn’t have auditioned if I hadn’t had a conversation with Brent after church one night about what ministry is and where God was leading me.

I wouldn’t have had that conversation if I hadn’t first acted a little crazy and silly at a birthday party at Brent’s house, which convinced him that I could probably act a little crazy and silly on stages across America.

I wouldn’t have acted so crazy and silly if I hadn’t been at that party with a friend who needed to be distracted from the fact that her boyfriend was ignoring her.

I wouldn’t have had that friend if I wouldn’t have invited her to my apartment for lunch when she visited my church one Sunday.

I wouldn’t have invited her to my house if I didn’t have something to offer. Something simple and good, like homemade bean and bacon soup.

And I thought…wow…isn’t God amazing? I don’t take credit for any of the things God is doing through my brother in Haiti, instead I marvel that all the players have been in the right places along the way. Something as insignificant as offering someone a bowl of soup at your table isn’t exactly groundbreaking, but it might be breathtaking if we do it as unto the Lord.

I remember it pretty well too. Being not just interested in being friendly but feeling a sense of obligation to Christ’s admonition to love. I didn’t know her at all, but she was new, that day, to our Sunday school class and she turned into one of the dearest friends I’ve ever had. I didn’t have spending money in those days so asking her to join me at a restaurant was out of the question. I had made soup though, a great big glass gallon jar half full of soup. It was in my fridge and I could offer that.

It reminded me of the old hymn “Little Is Much When God is In It” and though I couldn’t remember the words I remembered the message.

All those thoughts were collecting in my mind as my brother finished presenting to his church the next step in helping Haiti. As the worship team took the stage again I saw my uncle John, my mom’s youngest brother, and I figured that his baby sister, my aunt “Ony” (Devona) was probably sitting in the crowd somewhere. It almost brought me to tears thinking of the role that they played in this too.

Who taught me how to have fun more than anyone else? My mother’s youngest siblings were amazingly good at entertaining their little nieces. Uncles “Donny” (John) and “Mernie” (Merlin) would chase each other around Grandma’s house on their hands, Ony spoke to us in English accents and sang songs to us, had nicknames for us and gave us someone to admire. They taught me what funny is, gave me inspiration and permission to be silly. I remember being convinced that Mernie could speak Spanish as he rattled off some nonsense gibberish on Grandma’s back porch. That’s exactly what I did at that party years later that got the attention of Brent who was looking for someone to step into their group.

How insignificant is it to teach your child how to do something simple like making soup? How insignificant is it to play with children (even the ones who aren’t your own), to show them attention, to make them important by engaging with them and allowing them into your life beyond a passing pat on the head? I would say there is nothing insignificant about it at all. If your desire is to please God, He can do amazing things with your “little” attempts at serving others.

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

If you’re looking for something “Little” to do that God could turn into “Much”, consider partnering with this ministry to help Haiti & The Dominican Republic:

A Door to Hope is led by Brent Gambrell, bringing hope and healing to individuals who are in need. They have shared the gospel, built homes, purchased needed transportation so that men can go to work and provide for their families and fed countless men, women and children.