Little Things
“Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” Matthew 22:21 (ESV)
How often have you been chatting with someone who says, sometimes jokingly, “It’s the little things, right?” Now usually, people use this phrase when they’re trying to share how it doesn’t take a lot of effort to make them happy.
Yet, when people say this do they ever consider how Jesus might react to the idea that the little things are more important than the big things God asks us to devote our faith and our loves to pursuing? The Bible is filled with examples of God instructing us on how to order our lives around His priorities rather than ours. Here are a few.
Paying Taxes: God vs. Man
There’s a fascinating encounter in scripture described in three of the Gospels: Mark 12:13-17, Luke 20:20-26, and in Matthew 22:15-22. The Pharisees are trying to trap Jesus with a question about paying taxes to Caesar, a practice hated by Jews. In response, Jesus draws a clear distinction between the temporal from the eternal.
Asking the Pharisees to hold up the coin used to pay the tax, a surprisingly tiny silver coin called a Denarius, Jesus offers a profound lesson in priorities: “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
The coins in the pictures from our header this week are from our personal collection. Authentic examples of the Denarius used in Jesus’ day, they were probably minted between 10 B.C.and 30 A.D. We have a few of these ancient coins from the first century to remind us how small things can often demand so much attention.
While Jesus acknowledges the little, routine, mundane obligations of life like paying taxes, his words shift our attention to a higher obligation—the duty to honor God with what is His, which is our very lives. Leave the little things to the world.
Our focus should be on living lives that are pleasing to Him, which is of far greater importance than our financial concerns.
Let the Dead Bury Their Own Dead: The Cost of Discipleship
In Luke 9:59-60, we find a startling exchange where Jesus invites a man to follow Him, but the man requests to bury his father first. Given Jewish burial practices, the man likely meant that he needed to move his father’s bones out of a tomb where they had rested for a year and into a stone ossuary for permanent resting.
In what may seem at first glance as a harsh reply, answers, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” Jesus’ words offer a stark illustration of the urgency and priority of God’s kingdom. Jesus is not dismissing the act of honoring one’s parents; rather, he’s emphasizing that the call to spiritual life and proclaiming the Gospel transcends even the most significant social duties.
The big thing here is the commitment to follow Christ and the work of the kingdom, which should not be delayed or sidelined for earthly concerns.
Do Not Worry: Trusting God’s Provision
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches us not to worry about our lives, what we will eat or wear (Matthew 6:25-34). Pointing to the birds and flowers, cared for by God despite their insignificance in the human economy, Jesus proclaims how much more valuable we are to God.
The big thing Jesus points to is the trust we should place in our Heavenly Father’s provision. This is not a call to irresponsibility or inaction, but a call to faith. It’s an invitation to focus on seeking God’s kingdom and righteousness first, trusting that He will take care of our needs.
The Widow’s Offering: Valuing the Heart Above the Act
In Mark 12:41-44, there is a description of Jesus observing the wealthy putting large sums into the temple treasury and a poor widow who offers only two small coins. He declares that the widow has given more than all the others because she gave out of her poverty, her whole livelihood. What have may seemed like a little thing to the wealthy Jews and his disciples, Jesus explained the lesson that it is the heart with which we give, not the amount.
God calls us to give from a place of love and sacrifice (big thing), which is of greater value in His eyes than the quantity of our giving (little thing).
David and Goliath: Faith Over Fear
In the Old Testament, the story of David and Goliath (1 Samuel 17) teaches us about focusing on God’s power rather than our problems. David, a young shepherd, faces the giant Goliath with only a sling and a few stones, but his confidence lies in the Lord. David’s focus on the big thing — God’s glory and the defense of His people — leads to a victory that seemed impossible from a human perspective (the little thing).
Esther: Courage for a Greater Cause
The Book of Esther tells the story of a Jewish queen who risks her life to save her people from genocide. Esther could have focused on the little thing — her own safety and comfort in the palace.
Instead, she recognizes the big thing at stake: the survival of her people and the unfolding of God’s providential plan. Her courage and selflessness are a testament to prioritizing God’s purposes over personal security.
Embracing the Big Things
All through scripture, God’s message is clear: we are to elevate our gaze above the temporal and fix it firmly on the eternal. In a world brimming with distractions and worries, it’s remarkably easy for believers to lose sight of what truly matters in the grand tapestry of life. God, in His infinite wisdom, calls us to fix our eyes not on the fleeting, the minute, or the mundane, but on the profound, the eternal, and the things of His kingdom.
May God always guide your path.