The Minor Works of God

Here is a copy of an article I wrote, that was printed in October 2009, in the Congregational Newsletter of the First Presbyterian Church Of Greenlawn, Long Island, New York, where I am a member.

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The Bible is filled with tales concerning the Mighty Works of God that were accomplished by the Mighty Men of God. They were men of great faith and courage, like Moses. However, Moses was a reluctant prophet, who did not at first believe that he'd have the ability to accomplish the great things that the Lord had set before him. Yet through faith and the power of the Lord, he accomplished greater things than he could have ever imagined.

Now those were Mighty Acts of God, but what about the minor works of God; everyday things that ordinary Christians like ourselves can do? They can also be of great importance in the eyes of God.

Back in August, I was in Deer Park, taking care of some personal business. When that was completed, I went over to the Deer Park Train Station. While I waited for a train, I spoke with a woman who was having serious health problems and other difficulties in her life; and she was deeply distressed by them.

I asked her, "Would you like me to have the people of my Church pray for you?"

She was pleasantly surprised, and very agreeable, and she thanked me.

I remembered that I had a small booklet in the pocket of my jacket. It was a study guide that we'd recently used during the Friday Morning Bible Study, regarding how to deal with stressful situations. I took the booklet out of my pocket, gave it to the woman, and she thanked me again.

I regard that as a minor work of one of God's people. It didn't take great faith, courage, knowledge of Scripture, skill or anything else that most people would consider impressive. All I had to do was reach in my pocket, take out a booklet that I would probably have never looked at again, and hand it to the distressed woman.

When the train arrived, I rode it one stop to Wyandanch. From there I took the bus to the Walt Whitman Shopping Center. As the bus was coming, a woman who was also waiting for it said, "Does anyone have a nickel?"

I took the change out of my pocket. I saw that I did have a nickel to spare, and I gave it to her. That was also a minor work of one of God's people. It took no special effort, and all it cost me was five cents.

The following morning, I took my clothes to a local Laundromat. While I was there, an elderly lady lost the lid to her large container of liquid soap. The lid was lying on a shelf, between the backs of two washing machines; too far to reach by hand. I looked around, and found a broom. Then I stuck the end of the broomstick, inside the lid, lifted it up and returned it to the lady.

She started telling me how wonderful I was, and I made a joke about it.

I laughed, "Does this make me a hero?"

She said, "Oh, but you are a hero."

As I've said, these were simple acts that took no great faith, courage, wisdom, skill or knowledge of Scripture. All it took, was me just happening to be there, to do simple acts that anyone could do, and all it cost me was one nickel.

While none of us may be called upon to take part in a Mighty Act of God, we can all be available to do minor acts; everyday things that anyone can do, to bring a blessing from the Lord, to someone who needs it. Then someone who needed a simple blessing might call you a hero, and it might not even have cost you a nickel.