NO BIG DEAL?

Hebrews 13:15-17
15 Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise--the fruit of lips that confess His name. 16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. 17 Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.

During the 2004 baseball season, a major league player discovered how a small gesture can make a big difference. While his team was ona road trip, he accidentally left his wallet on the bus that transported the team from their hotel to the airport. Inside was $1,400, his credit cards, and the ID card that gave access to major league baseball parks. When he discovered it was missing, he madesome phone calls, but no one had found it.

A couple of days later, he got an excited phone call from his wife. The wallet had been sent to the family's home--complete with the cards and the money (minus the cost to mail the wallet). A busdriver had found it and made sure the player got it back. That thoughtful gesture saved the major leaguer a huge amount of troubleand effort to replace the important documents inside.

One more story. Dale Cooper, the chaplain at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and his brother-in-law took an unusual trip in 2003. In memory of Dale's dad, they each drove a John Deere tractor from Grand Rapids to Alton, Iowa, a distance of several hundred miles. Along the way, they depended on the goodness of others to get them through. Here's how Cooper described the things people did for them: "Taken by themselves, deeds like a ride to an auto parts store, filling a water jug with ice, offering a plate of cookies, working through lunch to finish a welding job, and giving directions through a maze of detours are no big deal. But they are a big deal to those who are in need of them."

Sometimes we think the little things we do for others don't amount to much. Perhaps we think we'd be better off minding our own business and letting others fend for themselves. But clearly our task here on earth is to watch out for the needs of others and help meet them (Hebrews 13:16).

Today, if you see an opportunity to do a little thing for someone, go ahead. Help that person in God's name. --Dave Branon

DESTINATION POINTS

* What is one thing I have gone out of my way to do for someone recently? How did it make me feel? Regardless of the feeling, was it the right thing to do?
* Can I anticipate meeting any needs today? What are two or three that might come up?
* Who is a good example to me of always being willing to help?

LINKS:
For the Father
http://calvin.edu/news/releases/2002_03/tractor_ride.htm

bottom line: A small deed is a big deal if done in Jesus' name.

soul journey