Matthew 25:21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave; You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’
Have you heard of “the butterfly effect”? The Butterfly Effect is a book by Alabama native and international best-selling author, Andy Andrews. The book’s name is based on the theory, developed by American mathematician and meteorologist Edward Lorenz, that a butterfly can flap its wings and set molecules of air in motion, which would move other molecules of air. This movement of air molecules would become so great that they would eventually be capable of starting a hurricane on the other side of the planet. Mr. Andrews concludes that, “every single thing you do matters.”
This is reiterated often in Scripture. In Psalm 33:13-15 “The Lord looks down from heaven; He sees the children of man; from where he sits, enthroned He looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth, He who fashions the hearts of them all and observes all their deeds. Jeremiah 32:19 “[the Lord of hosts] great in counsel and mighty in deed, whose eyes are open to all the ways of the children of man, rewarding each one according to his ways and according to the fruit of his deeds.” And one of my favorite verses in 2 Chronicles 16:9 “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward Him. …”
I can’t think of anything that is more encouraging or more sobering than the thought that every single thing we do matters. God can use even the smallest acts, even a cup of water in His name, to accomplish His great purposes. Can you imagine the boy who brought the five loaves and two fishes to Jesus? What was the conversation like when he went back to his parents and friends? I bet he began his story … “You are not going to believe …”
Just recently I received an email from a friend of mine at UGA many, many years ago. She came to a wedding in Birmingham of a guy involved in YBL. She and her husband know the parents well. She graciously let me know I had a part in her coming to know and grow in Jesus. And Wednesday I received a letter and a gift to YBL from a friend influenced by our ministry 20 years ago. God doesn’t have to use us, but He chooses to do so for His glory and our blessing.
Who are the people you can impact? Who and where is your Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and beyond? We can show others that we care; God cares. This is what all of us seek to do: expose someone to the gospel, get many touches on his or her life and watch God work. Mother Teresa was asked the question, “with so much need how do you do what you do each day?” She answered, “I try to be God’s messenger, for one person at a time.” What we do matters!