Mar 12 - "A Little Goes A Long Way"

Mark 6:30-46
"Taking the five loaves and the two fish, He looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; and He divided the two fish among them all. And all ate and were filled; and they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. Those who had eaten the loaves numbered five thousand men."
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I got a call yesterday from a contact I have in the Dominican Republic, where my company recently started operations. After updating each other on various things, he asked me if I was ready to think about how my company was going to give back to the local community. Although we certainly have an interest in doing this, as we do for all of our locations, my mind immediately went to wondering what the expense would be, how much time and money it would take to have a positive impact.

It would have been very easy for me to tell my contact that we had to wait until later, when we were more established, due to the expense associated with it. However, after talking through a couple of options, I was amazed at how little it would take to have a big impact. The need for basic things like books for children, food staples or clean water is so great in certain parts of the country, that a little goes a long way. This is certainly something we will do right away.

In the story of Christ's miracle with the Loaves and Fishes, the disciples wonder how they will be able to feed so many people with what little they have. But Jesus takes action. He gathers the meager amount of food, offers thanks to God (that's the important part) and the small portion becomes something great, more than they could have imagined, with much left over.

Many times, we think that in order to have a positive effect on a situation, it will take a lot of time, talent or treasure. But I am continually amazed at how big an impact the little things can make. A smile, a please, a thank you, a helping hand. All of these things, though seemingly small and insignificant, can make a difference. My wife Greta is a big fan of "random acts of kindness". She has paid fares for people behind us at toll plazas, handed extra coupons or tickets to total strangers because we had more than we needed...she is a master of the little things that make a difference. It is one of the infinite list of things I love about her.

So, do the little thing. Do not be fearful that you do not have enough and are unable to make an impact on the world around you. For when offered up, blessed, broken and shared, even the smallest gift, the tiniest amount of time, talent or treasure can make a big difference.