The Smallest Effort Is Worth More Than The Greatest Excuse

Good morning and welcome to Our Daily Walk.

Audio version at http://tinyurl.com/2mjvvh

A few years ago a news story appeared about a man who lost a local election by just one vote. Tragic as that may appear, the real tragedy was that the man’s two sons had failed to cast their own votes! Had his own family made good on their commitment to the campaign that man would have been elected. Whatever excuse they provided in their defense certainly was of little comfort to the defeated candidate. The saying is very true: the smallest effort is worth more than the greatest excuse.

I wonder at times if we are not all guilty of overlooking good opportunities because we doubt what difference our part will make. For example, many Christians will fail to teach even one other person about the gospel of Jesus Christ. Surely they knew enough to become Christians themselves, and with that knowledge alone they should have been able to teach others. So lack of knowledge shouldn’t be the reason.

Maybe it was because they simply became overwhelmed with the vast numbers of people who have never heard the gospel. After all, there are over six billion people on earth. The Great Commission says to go to the whole world and teach the gospel. That’s too many people to teach. Some may just not even begin.

A story is told of a young boy who was walking along the seashore. As he walked, he would stoop down and pick up a starfish off the sand and then toss it back into the water. Someone stopped the young boy and said, “What do you hope to accomplish? There are far too many starfish and you can’t possibly toss them all back into the ocean.” The young boy replied, “No, I can’t get to them all, but to the ones I do get to it makes a big difference.”

That should be our attitude when it comes to doing the work of our Lord. When called upon to trust God and put our efforts into a cause we should be ready and willing to give it our best effort. Reality will creep in at times and try to persuade us that our little effort won’t make a difference. When that happens we need to refocus on our task and know that whatever we do in God’s name will be of good to someone somewhere.

In the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand a challenge is made to find the resources to feed the great multitude. Listen to this reading from John 6:1-9.

After these things Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. Then a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased. And Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat with His disciples.

Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near. Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?” But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do.

Philip answered Him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little.”

One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to Him, “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?”

Andrew’s response, “what are they among so many” is typical of the way we often view our part in the kingdom of God. But remember, the smallest effort is worth more than the greatest excuse.

What difference does it make if you are faithful in attendance in worship and Bible school? Someone may be patterning their habits after yours. You make a big difference in the lives of others.

What difference does it make if you are honest in business or dress and act modestly during the week? You portray the body of Christ every day, not just on Sundays. Every action in your life has the potential to draw others closer to Christ or to repel them. The choice is up to us.

We will never rid the world of sin all on our own, but we can make a difference by getting sin out of our environment.

On Our Daily Walk today, may we remember to make good on our commitments to God, to the church and to others. May our life and actions become a force to draw others to Christ. May we all learn to stop making excuses and start making a difference.

Our thought for the day: “No one can build a reputation on what he’s going to do tomorrow.”

May God bless you on your daily walk.

© Our Daily Walk, Mike Baker, 2007. Permission is granted to copy these articles provided they are not sold and the author's name and copyright are included.