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Tiny things

Yesterday I was reminded of the way in which a tiny thing can create real trouble. I, aunty K, was on a walk on a blustery afternoon with the kiddies and decided to sit on the picnic table by the beach so that Michelle would be able to see the Goslings but we wouldn't have to get too close. As I climbed up on the table a very small but very painful splinter went into my pinky. I ignored it until we went back in and found the task of removing it very time consuming and tedious. I knew however left in my body in the long run the pain of removing it would be no where near the pain of my finger possibly getting infected.
This reminds me of the way we are in the church body. When we see someone suffering the whole body grieves. Each person no matter how small a role they play is important and sometimes making our body well might cause pain but in the long run it is what is best for our body.
This encounter was coupled with two very small people who I currently spend many hours with each day. They are very cute and at times I lost my patience with them. I try and remember the example Jesus gave us in the bible of welcoming each child ..Anyways as near as I can figure people in the world have it all wrong. They think of kids as nuisances or possessions or worse, they don't think about them at all. I have been reading the Ragamuffin Gospel and the author talks about how when Jesus was speaking to the least of these it really was the least of these. Children are defenseless and they need limits and they need to be guided in the way they should go. As the corporate church body that means taking time to train up the next generation in the way they should go. We might see them as a pinky but they are so much more in Gods Eyes.

In the bible it was often the little guy who God chose to raise up in an important role. I believe today he is speaking to all of us who might see ourselves as unimportant or insignificant and calling to us to see us the way God saw us. Jesus took each child individually and blessed them. He didn't see them as unimportant or as a group, he saw they each individually and he had love for each of them.

So what am I trying to say? Basically it is two-fold; if you are in a place of authority and you see yourself as the head or the heart or the important part don't get so caught up that you fail to see role of the pinky. Secondly if you are the pinky remember today that God sees your potential and has not forgotten you. He wants you to know you are important and he wants to bless you.

posted by Kate @ 6/10/2004 09:33:00 AM