Big And Small

"I suspect what we squabble about here on earth will be nothing at all in heaven."

A BIG CHURCH isn’t Godless, having grown out of God’s plan for it. A tiny church isn’t Godless and refusing to grow. A big concert by a dedicated artist isn’t arrogance and ungodliness. A tiny concert, being a singer on a local church platform, isn’t a sign God isn’t with you. “God be’s big when He be’s big,” to misquote my mother. And He’s small when things are small. He’s both thunder and lightning on the mountain which terrified the Israelites (Exodus 20:18) and a whisper to the prophet (1 Kings 19:12). “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

God sees the heart, which is pretty small, and our thoughts and motives, even smaller. He forgives the convicted felon (Luke 23:43) and the local fisherman (Luke 5:8). He can use a murderer (Acts 9:1) and a youngster (1 Timothy 4:12). He called a zealot, a tax collector, and betrayer. He would go on to change the heart of kings. Rome which hunted down Christians would form the world’s largest church, dedicated to Him. A single man nailed the truth to the doors of a church, in another century, and changed the landscape.

One man dared to translate the Bible into common English and paid for it with his life (William Tyndale, “Tyndale” by David Teems, https://amzn.to/3HxH4HR).

“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)

We are so willing to be critical that the apostle Paul wrote an entire chapter on not judging people over what they ate (Romans 14). We say women can’t be preachers; men can’t wear blue jeans. I once overheard a mother say her child could not be saved because he was too young. No one could convince her otherwise. We’ve condemned the congregationalist, opposing denominations, Word of Faith preachers, when we’re all part of the body of Christ, we’re all WHOSOEVER, Jesus died to save. Our lack of inside knowledge should stand us up. We should seek God for understanding and pray for people instead of being offended.

Devils are offended.

Our position is always to plead ignorance and repent. With a sincere heart, we know we don’t know everything and submit ourselves to God, who does. Where we’ve assumed and blamed and criticized, we lean on Him to help us not do that anymore and we repent (change our heart) on it as being a correct response. Jesus who is King of millions, billions, knew Suzanne by name.

The truth is men become big either through self-promotion or by humbleness and God’s promotion. The first will not last nor promote you in heaven. The second comes with great reward, the greatest of which is knowing God’s Voice. All that sounds like church-ese, but it can’t be stated any other way. When James’ and John’s mother came to Jesus and asked Him to place one of her sons on either side of Him in His kingdom, Jesus’ answer turned their gazes to the Father. “But to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father (Matthew 20:23).” These words bear our meditation. Unlike human promotion, which is all done in some form of human judgment, likes and dislikes, heavenly promotion comes from the Father, who is holy (pure) and truth. He sees and knows all things and is completely fair. He has no unfairness in Him.

I suspect what we squabble about here on earth will be nothing at all in heaven. And it shouldn’t be an issue between us today either, nor a place of judgment. We are not qualified to judge, except what we hear and take in, and that should be done through the Holy Spirit. 

• We WALK in the Spirit. (Galatians 5:16) Walk, G4043, to make one’s way, to progress
• We are LED of the Spirit. (Galatians 5:18) Led, G71, to lead by taking hold of, and this way to bring to the point of destination
• We LIVE in the Spirit. (Galatians 5:25) Live, G2198, to enjoy real life, active, blessed, endless
• We WALK in the Spirit. (Galatians 5:25) Walk, G4748, to proceed in a row as the march of a solder, go in order, metaphorically to go on prosperously, to turn out well

Image by Arnie Bragg from Pixabay


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Suzanne D. Williams, Author
www.suzannedwilliams.com
www.feelgoodromance.com