Dream big, think large, buy luxury – all because you deserve it! Accumulate, accumulate, accumulate, accumulate until you can’t fit any more into your life or house, and then throw that stuff out so you can buy more, or….why not buy a bigger house to have more space or buy my “stuff”…..This is often the message we are spun, and often we fall for it don’t we?! Well I can sometimes, especially on the week of Black Friday deals.

But recently I’ve been thinking about thinking small.

We can often get wrapped up with thinking about the big, that we can forget about the value of the small. We all know that in order to achieve a big goal there may be 101 smaller tasks in order to get there, and yet when we have problems, they often seem so big.

Many of you will be aware of the health complications that Addy (my 4-year-old daughter) faces, and at times I regularly feel overwhelmed with the diagnosis that medical professionals have given us. However, when I manage to break down the  mountain-sized problem into smaller boulders, that’s when things are conquerable, and you can start to see the gold dust that can only be found when you look smaller.

In team devotions this week we were looking at Mark 7 where a Gentile woman is begging Jesus for even the smallest of spiritual crumbs that she knows would heal her daughter. In no uncertain terms, Jesus compares the woman to a dog under the table, and yet the woman’s response is excruciatingly humble…

28 “Lord,” she replied, “even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.”

This unnamed lady was able to recognise that whilst she had a mountain-sized problem before her with her daughter’s health, even the smallest touch of Christ would be enough to change the situation.

Today I wonder what problems are facing you, and what, with just the smallest touch from Christ, things would look undeniably different.

Today join us as we pray for:

  • Those who feel small, unknown, hidden, and lonely in our society. Prayer that God will provide them with friends in their lives, or that we could befriend those people when we come across them.
  • The smallest of children who face health issues, that need the touch of Christ for healing.
  • Those children and young people who rely on the school environment for their wellbeing – and yet have been sent home due to Covid reasons.
  • Us all to be able to see Christ moving in the smallest of ways in our lives – and to be thankful for these.
  • For my daughter’s own health complications and how we manage them as a family. To find out more – click this link.

Dave Clarke – Director of Swindon Youth for Christ

Swindon Youth for Christ.