Sometimes God works in the smallest ways.
I was in the school library today, mindlessly waiting for the copy machine to finish printing the seemingly copious amounts of homework answer keys. I cringe each week for the tress being used to help students stuff these papers into their backpacks, never to be looked at again. But, today while I was waiting for these answer keys to print my eyes were drawn to the cover of a book that took me back to childhood.
As I opened the cover and took in the big bold print, a story about a boy named Titch unfolded. He was just a little boy with a big sister and a very big brother. They had cool things. His big sister had a big kite and got to play tunes on her trumpet. His very big brother had a very big kite and a booming drum. But Titch was just little. So he spun his pinwheel and squawked on his wooden whistle while he watched and wished - he wanted to be big too.
As I read the pages I knew I didn’t want to be Titch. I didn’t want to sit watching and wishing or spinning and squawking. I wanted to fly the big kite and pound out the beautiful tune. But as I lingered on this thought, I saw that I’d planted little seeds of unrest, discontentment and jealousy just like Titch had. And little seeds don’t stay little. Mine grew into lies that told me I needed to fly that big kite and pound out that beautiful tune. I needed to be a big sister or a very big brother.
The story doesn’t end there. Titch’s very big brother had a spade and his big sister had a flowerpot and Titch had a small seed. His sister shares her pot and his brother uses his spade to add some dirt and Titch plants his seed. Then they watch together. Slowly the seed begins to grow and grow until finally they have a plant. Titch is still little but his seed isn’t.
This story could be turned into a parable about how you never know when the little things you don’t like in your life could turn into blessings in disguise. But, while I was reading a different message struck me. It was a simple message just like the book was a simple book but God knew I needed to hear it today.
By God’s grace He allows me to receive a pinwheel when I want a kite and a whistle when I want a trumpet. He knows what I need and is working for a greater purpose than to grant my every desire or to make me a success. Sometimes His gift is to humbly make me little when I want to be big.
I should rejoice when my big sister has a big kite and beautiful flowerpot. I should be ecstatic by my very big brother’s booming drum and helpful spade. The gifts that other’s receive shouldn’t plant seeds of jealousy in my heart but instead be seen as tools. Together we can use the spade to fill the flowerpot where we can plant the seed that will grow into a glorious plant that will showcase the wonder of the One who lavishly bestows us with every good gift.
