6 So he said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty. 7 What are you, O mighty mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground. Then he will bring out the capstone to shouts of ‘God bless it! God bless it!’” 8 Then the word of the LORD came to me: 9 “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple; his hands will also complete it. Then you will know that the LORD Almighty has sent me to you. 10 Who despises the day of small things? Men will rejoice when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel.”
11 “The greatest among you will be your servant. 12 For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ 40 The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’”
15 He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but God knows your hearts. What is highly valued among men is detestable in God’s sight.”
42 “And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward.”
13 Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them. 14 Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” 15 When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.
13 From heaven the LORD looks down and sees all mankind; 14 from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth-- 15 he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do. 16 No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength. 17 A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save. 18 But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love.
11 Command and teach these things. 12 Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.
“God has a remarkable love for the small. He sets his eye upon small people in small places during small moments (Psalms 33:18; Matthew 6:4). The Son of God, who ‘did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,’ even became small to save us (Philippians 2:6-8).” Scott Hubbard
“It’s the prayers and grace we weave into the cleaning of the house, the matching of the socks, the working of our hands, that survives the fire.” Ann Voskamp
“Cheered by the presence of God, I will do at each moment, without anxiety, according to the strength which He shall give me, the work that His Providence assigns me. I will leave the rest without concern; it is not my affair. I ought to consider the duty to which I am called each day, as the work that God has given me to do, and to apply myself to it in a manner worthy of His glory, that is to say, in exactness and peace.” Fenelon
“While the elders of Israel wept over this day of small things, the God of Israel did not. Despite his big plans for his people, he is not afraid of the small. Nor is the small any sure sign of his displeasure, as we so often are tempted to think: If God were really in this, things would be bigger by now! No: God had rescued them, God was with them, and God’s plans would prosper — even through a day of small things.” Scott Hubbard
“Our motivation behind our works is to please the Lord – to do His will from our hearts –“doing the will of God from your heart.” Ephesians 6:6 (NIV) as one expositor states: “Mark how this motive sweetens, sanctifies, ennobles our earthly work. It then becomes a part of our worship. Animated by such a thought, the school boy diligently, joyfully applies himself to his task. The clerk needs no other master’s eye over him to keep him to his work. The tradesman carefully executes his orders to the last stitch, when he feels that he works not merely for men, but for Christ. The merchant no longer sells spurious or adulterated goods, when he feels that he sells, not to men, but to the Lord Himself. The minister, the physician, the lawyer, are no longer content with a formal or perfunctory discharge of duty. The creditor, presenting his account, asks no more than is really due, and the debtor faithfully pays it.” W. Grant
“If we are genuinely faithful in the day of small things, our small obedience will become big — but not usually right away, and not often in the ways we expect.” Scott Hubbard
“Be content with such things as you have, since the Lord has ordered all things for your good. Take up your own daily cross; it is the burden best suited for your shoulder, and will prove most effective to make you perfect in every good word and work to the glory of God. Down busy self, and proud impatience, it is not for you to choose, but for the Lord of Love!” Charles H. Spurgeon
“The big God is apparently patient enough to endure centuries of small days. His kingdom, which will one day cover the earth, does not begin big. It grows from one old man and his barren wife (Isaiah 51:2). It grows from “the fewest of all peoples” (Deuteronomy 7:7). It grows from a mustard seed and a bit of leaven (Matthew 13:31-33). It grows from an embryo in the womb of a virgin (Isaiah 9:6-7). It grows from twelve uneducated men (Acts 1:8).” Scott Hubbard
“Keep sowing faithfully. God sees. He knows. In Christ, your labor will not be in vain.” David Mathis
“What, then, is big in the eyes of our Lord? A partial list would include praying, giving, and fasting in secret (Matthew 6:1-18); humbling yourself among the last and the least (Matthew 23:11-12); spending time with children (Matthew 19:13-15); visiting forgotten people in forgotten places (Matthew 25:36); giving a cup of water to one of Jesus’s little ones (Matthew 10:42); remaining faithful with however many talents you have (Matthew 25:14-30). What is small among men is big in the sight of God (Luke 16:15).” Scott Hubbard
“Forget the numbers in your work. Focus on the net value of your work.” Ann Voskamp
“The day is coming when this world’s carnival of mirrors will give way to clear sight and just judgment. Then “many who are first will be last, and the last first” (Matthew 19:30). Then we will see just how small were all the world’s big things, and just how big was the day of small things.” Scott Hubbard