Catching a grenade won’t be necessary, thank you.

There is a song on the radio, I don’t know the name, nor do I know who sings it, but there is a line that says, “I would catch a grenade for you, put my hand on a blade for you, I would jump in front of a train for you…” and it continues. The song in all of it’s hip hop wonder I’m sure makes some people think, “wow that is so sweet and romantic.” My first thought after hearing it was, “So you’ll catch a grenade for this girl, why not just open her door? How about you start with communicating how you feel about her, or calling when you leave home from work?” It is easy to promise to do the unlikely thing. Like jump in front of a train. It is very difficult to promise the consistency and investment of doing all the little things. Because life happens, people forget, things change, and we don’t follow through and our true colors and intentions come out. What does our character and life choices reflect? A lot of big things? No small things? Lots of small? No Big?

Sometimes in life we get these big grand plans about what we will do and conquer. When in many ways, instead of doing one BIG thing, doing countless small things well, speaks louder. Just as the bible says,

” One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own?” Luke 16:10-13.

Be faithful with the little tasks of the day. If you are working, do all of the little things well. If you are investing in a relationship, be thoughtful in the everyday things. Systematically doing the little things will build confidence and a trust in the other person. They can depend on you to do what you say you will do. It will also, be an accurate representation of Christ in you. Yes, Christ dying on the Cross and rising again was MAGNIFICENT and a wonderful representation of His Love for us, Power, and Deity. Let alone the countless prophesies His life fulfilled (over 400 I think). The fulfillment of prophesies and miracles He did, provided such a wonderful foundation and backdrop for that weekend in history. Just that day was all He “NEEDED” (he is GOD after all and doesn’t need anything) but the 400 other things provided context and evidence of a relationship.

When we are faithful and in the habit of doing the little things, doing the big things when they come will be a natural outpouring of our heart. So what does that look like? Maybe instead of just buying a great gift at Mother’s day, show her the other 364 days of the year that you appreciate her. Instead of just swoop cleaning the house one whole day or doing ALL the dishes in the sink, pick up a little everyday to show your spouse or roommates that you notice them and are making an effort. Instead of spending 3 hours in the Word once every 3 weeks, spend a bit of time everyday. Consistency. Be consistent. In the little. And you will be consistent in the big because your heart is already turned that way.

Also, be watching for the people in your life who are faithful to the mundane and consistent in the little. The ladies who wash dishes every week at Bible Study, the guy who greets at church every week, the lady who cares for an aging parent everyday. The reason these things are hard is because it requires a sacrifice of time and effort. It is easy to block off a day to volunteer. It is harder to say I’ll be there every week, rain or shine. Do you ever sacrifice anything? Time, comfort, money… anything? I don’t… not as nearly as much as I should. Don’t get me wrong, the big things are important too. The same way a diamond shines best when on a black background, your “big things” will “shine” best on the backdrop of small things. Have both.

So random singer…thank you for the offer to catch a grenade for me, but it won’t be necessary.