If you’ve ever struggled with the thought, “I want to do something big for God, but I have little children at home” then this post is for you!
Written By Rachel Coltharp
“I want to do something big.”
She says it with an apologetic look at me, followed with, “Not just take care of a house and little kids.”
Is that a little thing? I suppose if you look at it through the eyes of materialism, or from the perspective of those who believe that making a name for yourself is of the utmost importance, it may be a little thing. But what is it through the eyes of eternity?
It is no small thing, this raising of children; this molding of their hearts into the image of the Almighty, this careful instruction that prepares them to meet Him, to know Him, to love Him.
It is no small thing that I do every day, for the smallest ones in my household; when I serve the least of these, I am serving Him.
It is no small thing, the giving of my time, the investing of my limited energy into these little ones who never seem to run out of energy. I am investing in eternity, where time will be no more.
Big things. Little things. Who can determine which is which? I choose to let God weigh it out. It’s my investment in the hearts, minds, and souls of the children He lent me vs. the material gain and earthly position I might find pursuing lesser things.
It is no small thing, this giving of myself, for little ones, eternal souls. They are mine for a moment. A small, short moment. One day, too soon, they will lay down this skin they are in, and return their borrowed breath to God who gave it. Then, only then, will the little things be seen for what they really were.
When the trophies of this earth have crumbled to dust, when the gains of our world have melted away, when the names of the famous have been forgotten, then we will know. And then the little things will not seem little at all.
Rachel Coltharp is wife to one, mother to four. She is fluent in 4 languages. Infantese, Toddlerspeak, Teenlingo, and Husbandism. She is a writer and public speaker who shares from her real life experiences, mostly mistakes and do-overs. Click here to visit her web site.
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Fantastic writing about the little things really being the big things…thankyou for the post!
It’s an important reminder, isn’t it? 🙂
Children are a gift! Ask anyone who cannot become pregnant, ask the mama who has buried their children. Our culture so overlooks the sacredness of life that the tiniest humans can be killed by their mother at her choosing. I heard a great quote recently and I love it! From Andy Stanley:”The greatest thing in your life may not be what you do, but who you raise.” Rise up and be an energetic loving and always learning mother, bring the kids with you into the daily stuff. Creating a safe and loving ome base is never gonna bring a paycheck from anyone admiring your work. You are training up God’s favorites, the pinnacle of his creation!
God’s favorites… I like that!
I felt like that so often, and now my girls are 8 and 10. It seems only a moment ago they were babies, and I wouldn’t trade a moment of my time with them!
Margaret: My husband is disabled & needs me at home to care for him. I too have pondered the same question. I feel that I’m not able to serve God as I would like. God spoke to me “just take care of him”. God has a purpose for each of us. That purpose is right in front of us. Thank you for expressing your concern. I know God uses us where He needs us
god uses where we are needed