This Could Be the Start of Something Big: Think Small, Grow Big

This Could Be the Start of Something Big: Think Small, Grow Big
I Peter 5:2-6


1 Peter 5:2-6
2 Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers—
not because you must,
but because you are willing, as God wants you to be;
not greedy for money, but eager to serve;
3 not lording it over those entrusted to you,
but being examples to the flock.
4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears,
you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.
5 Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older.
All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another,
because, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand,
that he may lift you up in due time.
(NIV)

What kind of difference can be made by something small?

At 211 degrees, water is hot.
At 212 degrees, it boils.
And with boiling water, comes steam.
And with steam, you can power a train.

One degree. Applying one extra degree of temperature to water means the difference
between something that’s simply very hot and something that generates enough force to
power a machine – a beautifully uncomplicated metaphor that ideally should feed everything we do.

Seemingly small things can make tremendous differences.

Thomas Edison said...
“Many of life’s failures are men who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.”

What would happen if you just added a “+” to your life?

From 2000-2006, The PGA Championship winner took home an average of $1,060,714. The second-place finisher averaged $460,657… less.
The margin of difference…1.71 strokes. Less than a stroke a day

At NASCAR’s Daytona 500 from 1997-2006 (10 years), the winner took the checkered flag by an average margin of 0.175 seconds… less than two-tenths of a second.
For the winner it meant $509,000… more.

Vince Lombardi tightened it up with...
“Inches make the champion.”

Eula Hamilton was the consummate Church Secretary. She could type with one hand and run the mimeograph machine with the other, all the while fielding phone calls from parishioners and the general public. I liked the sign in her office:

If you are like a wheelbarrow,
going no farther than you are pushed,
you need not apply for work here!

Eula knew how to add the plus sign to her ministry! She refused to give less than 101%.

1 Peter 5:2-6
Here’s my concern: that you care for God’s flock with all the diligence of a shepherd. Not because you have to, but because you want to please God.
Not calculating what you can get out of it, but acting spontaneously.
Not bossily telling others what to do, but tenderly showing them the way.
When God, who is the best shepherd of all, comes out in the open with his rule,
he’ll see that you’ve done it right and commend you lavishly.
And you who are younger must follow your leaders.
But all of you, leaders and followers alike,
are to be down to earth with each other, for—

God has had it with the proud,
But takes delight in just plain people.

So be content with who you are, and don’t put on airs.
God’s strong hand is on you; he’ll promote you at the right time.
(The Message)

The “+”