Why Small is Still Significant

On my kitchen windowsill sits a small, burned object. At first glance, it looks like nothing more than trash. And truthfully, that’s all it is. It came from my broken dishwasher. In fact, it was the reason the dishwasher broke. That dependable machine, which ran two or three times a day without fail, was brought to a complete standstill by this one tiny part.

Now, I keep it on the windowsill as a reminder: small is not insignificant.

Because much of my day is made up of small tasks—washing dishes, folding laundry, cooking meals, and driving (so much driving!), it’s easy to think these things don’t matter or that the “important” work is still ahead of me.

Maybe you feel the same way. Perhaps what occupies much of your day feels insignificant or even causes you to feel insignificant. The next time you’re tempted to feel discouraged, overlooked, or underappreciated because of it, consider the following five areas and remember: Nothing is insignificant in God’s sight.

Regardless of how long or short, your prayers are significant.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught the disciples to pray differently than the “pagans” did. They prayed to be seen by others and believed they’d be heard because of their lengthy, empty, and repetitive prayers.

“And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” (Matthew 6:7-8)

Regardless of whether it is a big or small act, your obedience is significant.

In the parable of the Sheep and Goats, Jesus addressed the judgment of the Gentiles (those who were not Jewish) and explained that by caring for the hungry, sick, and marginalized, the righteous unknowingly had served Him.

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me'” (Matthew 25:37-40)

Regardless of what you can or cannot do, your availability is significant.

One day, a great crowd gathered around Jesus. Anticipating their hunger and intending to reveal Himself as the Bread of Life (John 6:35), He miraculously used one boy’s food—just five barley loaves and two fish—to feed a crowd of over 5,000 people.

“Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, ‘Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?’

Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, ‘Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.’ So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten” (John 6:8-9, 11-13)

Regardless of how much or how little you have, your offering is significant.

During the final week of His life, Jesus was in the Temple in Jerusalem. He saw the rich put gifts in the treasury and a poor widow put in hers. She simply gave “two mites.” These small coins were the smallest currency available. Yet, in Jesus’ view, her contribution was more valuable than anyone else’s.

“As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins.

‘Truly I tell you,’ he said, ‘this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on'” (Luke 21:1-4)

Regardless of how seen or unseen you are, your role in the body of Christ is significant.

When the apostle Paul taught the importance of spiritual gifts—and that all believers are vital in the body of Christ—he used the human body to illustrate his point. Just like some parts of the body are smaller than others, less visible than others, or seemingly less important than others, each part is vital and has a unique purpose.

“Now, if the foot should say, ‘Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,’ it would not, for that reason, stop being part of the body. And if the ear should say, ‘Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,’ it would not, for that reason, stop being part of the body.

If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact, God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be” (1 Corinthians 12:15-18)

You can be confident He hears you and sees you. In all you do, you can do it as unto the Lord. Even if someone casts doubt on your contribution or questions its impact, remember God can do more with your willingness than you can imagine. Even if your contribution is as small as the widow’s mite, if done from a heart of devotion to your Savior, it brings Him great joy.

You don’t need to display a small object from a broken dishwasher on your windowsill to remember these truths. You can hide them in your heart, pray to see as God sees, and decide to trust that the God of the Universe—who made the mighty mountains and the grains of sand—knows exactly what He was doing when He created you. Nothing you do today is insignificant in His sight. You are certainly not insignificant in His sight.