Barbie Loflin

I spoke with a friend this evening who was quite frustrated. She had various things going on in her life and I sat down to talk and pray with her. After I prayed for her, she brought my attention back to the words of my prayer. She said, “You know, so many people have spoken that over me. They have said I would do great things with my life; things that I cannot even see.” She shook her head as if to say, well, it hasn’t happened yet. She looked at me and said, “I don’t know what He’s waiting for. I mean, I am ready! When am I going to start to do these great things?”

I looked at this sweet, sweet, woman and thought to myself, she doesn’t see that she is already walking in the great. You see, asleep on the seat next to her was a baby – not her own – that she has taken to heart and loves like it is her own. As she talked with me about those future “great things” her hand unconsciously went to the tiny arm of the baby and patted. As she vocalized her concerns, her hand adjusted the little covers on the child… a child whose mother was not around. The baby’s soft curls strayed toward her little lips and the woman gently brushed the curls back. “When will God use me to do great things?” My heart melted.

Oh, my precious sisters, can’t you see that the great is in the small. Great is found in selfless acts that are automatic and unplanned. Great is found in this very moment and lasts for eternity. Great is picking up tiny socks and putting them on tiny flat feet. Great is kissing a cheek that has tootsie roll on it and not making a face or running your hand across your mouth. Great is in touching the hand of a friend who just needs to know you are there. Great is found in compassionate tears and empathetic groanings. Great is found in the places we never think to look; here and now… in the small, silent, unremarkable moments.

My friend is a woman of greatness. She is selfless and generous of spirit. She is kind and gentle in nature and everything she does is done for others. Her life is spent in the great… only she does not see it. Perhaps that is best, for when we begin to see our works as great, they quickly become quite small in the eyes of the one who truly matters.

Live a life of greatness… today… now! But remember: start small.

Luke 22

²⁴Also a dispute arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. ²⁵Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. ²⁶But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. ²⁷For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.