Even in the Little Things

Do you ever feel invisible? Do you wonder if you matter?

I can only definitively speak for myself, of course, but I think a lot of people feel like they're useless unless they're doing something ground-breaking that's changing the world.
I used to feel that way. If I was going to help people, I mean really help people, I needed to be a big deal. I needed to publish a book, or be a famous singer, or a renowned teacher or speaker if I was going to make any kind of difference.
But we all matter.
Every. Single. One of us.


So often people ask, "What is my purpose?"
We want to know why we're here.
What's the end game?
When we're gone, what will we be remembered for?

My pastor just finished a series called Improving Your Serve.
He taught a few weeks ago from Matthew 25:14-30.
The master is going away and entrusts 3 of his servants with varying amounts of his property while he's gone. Two of them put to work what they were given. One did not.
The two who were faithful with what they were given, were rewarded by the master. The servant who chose to hide his one talent (the value of the money) was called worthless and thrown outside "where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." (v. 30)

Friends, we have a purpose. We have been given gifts, talents, blessings by our Father in Heaven. Just like the servants were given their master's property, everything we have been given ultimately belongs to the Lord, and He has entrusted us with it. Everyone has varying gifts in varying amounts. But we are all called to be faithful with what we've been given.
That's our purpose. That's why we're here. To take care of what our master has entrusted to us.
And when He returns we will give an account of what we did with what we were given.

Are we being faithful?
Are we using our gifts and talents to make an eternal difference?
Or are we just sitting on them?
Are we so afraid that we might mess something up, that we opt to do nothing at all?
Are we guilty of doing nothing with what we've been given, because our options aren't what we've  imagined them to be?
"Sure, being a sunday school teacher is helpful, but I'm waiting on a call to be the next Beth Moore."
"Yeah, I could sing on the praise team, but I'm pretty sure I need to be recording albums and leading people to the throne of worship from an arena stage."
"I'm kind of a big deal."

Except that I'm not. And you may not be.
And, yeah, there are really amazing people doing some crazy awesome world-changing things, and that's fantastic!! But if we're all doing crazy awesome world-changing things, who's going to do the little things? Who's going to pray with the girl at youth camp who just confessed to cutting? Who's going to sit on the floor at church and play with the 2-year-olds? Who's going to unlock the gym and play basketball with the neighborhood kids so they know that someone out there loves them?
I read something recently, and I wish so badly I could remember where so I could quote it exactly, but the general idea was, a stay-at-home mom may feel  like she's doing very little to change the world just by packing her son's lunch everyday, but that son may grow up to be the president of the United States, and she's the one making sure he has a good meal to get him through the school day.
The little things are big things to those they impact.

Jesus was a servant.
Mark 10:45-- For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.
If we're going to be like Christ, we need to stop making it about ourselves and our purpose, and start making it about His purpose. Humbling ourselves and using what He's entrusted us with to serve others and bring Him glory.

That's what I want to be remembered for; using what my Master has given me to serve and point others to Him.