THE SMALL BIG THINGS #1 - INTRO

I work in an international school in Kigali-Rwanda. My school is one of the best in the entire country, actually the entire sub region for that matter. Aside its huge buildings, the school is well known for three main things: Christianity, English Speaking and Discipline. Actually, these three things are what accounts for its academic excellence in all levels (Nursery, primary and Secondary). One day, as a new employee, I met the director of the school and asked a few questions. As she talked, I listened intently and I was amazed to hear the story of how the school started – from nothing. I was immediately reminded that Every big thing – whether good or bad – starts small. Is it a large-scale business, a 50-year marriage, a terrorist, an author with 50 written books, a drug addict, an excellent driver, a drunkard, a great football player or a prostitute? None of the examples mentioned here as well as the very many not mentioned did not just become what they are at the moment. They all had a beginning – a SMALL beginning.

Every big thing – whether good or bad – starts small

Whether we like it or not, the very things we do on a daily basis are the very things that will determine our future. As Samuel Smiles once said,

Sow a thought reap a word, sow a word, reap an action, sow an action reap a habit, sow a habit, reap a character, sow a character, reap a destiny;

And rightly so! John C Maxwell couldn’t agree less and once said that You first make your habits, then your habits make you. Don’t look too far to agree with him. Think about the things you do on a daily basis with very little or no effort at all: bathing, brushing your teeth, dressing up etc. How come you seem to have become so unconscious about them, and yet they are the very basic things you do daily? Interestingly, you will notice that how often and well you do them has a direct correlation with how often and well you used to do them when you were learning how to do them. That is why it seems to take a lot of efforts to change your routine, the reason for which you must become intentional about building some habits TODAY!

I like teaching about character and personal development and one of the things I always say is that character is not built in a day, but daily! It always starts from somewhere. No wonder God, speaking to Zechariah the prophet, had this to say about Zerubbabel:

9 “Zerubbabel is the one who laid the foundation of this Temple, and he will complete it. Then you will know that the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has sent me. 10 Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel’s hand.”

You first make your habits, then your habits make you (John C Maxwell)

The secret of who you will become as God’s child – whether or not you will fulfill God’s purpose for your life – is in your daily decisions, your daily routines, your daily agenda. Many people confuse success with recognition of success. The latter happens in a day but the former is developed daily; the latter is an event but the former is a discipline. Instead of focusing on experiencing the prestige and ecstasy of the latter, focus on how you can develop the discipline of the former and the latter will happen almost automatically, sometimes without your permission!

In his book, Finishing Strong, Steve Harrar talks about a research that was conducted by Dr Howard Hendricks on 246 men in active ministry who experienced moral failure within the space of 2 years. I believe strongly that their fall began with a single seemingly harmless idea - a thought, and eventually led to an action, and then as Samuel Smiles said (as quoted earlier), went all the way to become part of their character. Steve writes:

Dr. Hendricks interviewed each of 246 men in full-time ministry who experienced moral failure within a two-year period of time. In other words, Prof Hendricks was able to find nearly 250 men who without a doubt were committed to Jesus Christ. Yet the thing they had in common was that within twenty-four months of each other they each got involved in sexual immorality…After interviewing each man, Dr. Hendricks discovered four correlations running through the experiences of the entire 246 who derailed:

1. None were involved in any kind of personal accountability group.

2. Each had ceased to invest in a daily personal time of prayer, Scripture reading, and worship.

3. Over 80 percent of them became sexually involved with another woman as the result of counseling the woman. In other words, they were spending significant portions of their schedules with women other than their wives.

4. Without exception, each of the 246 had been convinced that moral failure “will never happen to me”

Stunning right? But so real! Imagine if all these men had been more cautious about their simple day-to-day life and ministry decisions. I believe their story would have been a very different one – a beautiful one for that matter.

This article is part one of a six-part article and its content will be based on Dr. Hendrick’s research. As you prepare to go through a life-transforming reading experience remember that although you cannot change your destination in a day you can change your direction in a day. Oh what a blessing if that day is today! God bless you richly!