June 02

A Very Small Part of a Very Big Thing

I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.

1 Corinthians 3:5 (NLT)


This verse means more to me now than ever. Yes, indeed. I’ve caught Paul’s vision, and it excites me!

It all started when my son took Japanese and decided he wanted to join the school trip to Japan this summer. There was one catch—as part of an exchange agreement, we would host a Japanese student in our home alao. Well that visit has come and gone, and Tomoe (pronounced Tah-moy) was a jewel: so sweet, so nice, she became like family. In fact, she did become family for when she accepted Christ, she became a sister in Christ!

This was the lesson I caught during that visit: God uses His Body of believers in small ways to do big things. The many small events added up:
- Drew meets a Japanese girl at the airport and brings her home.
- I give her a bilingual Bible and show her some verses.
- Mike and Hilda pray for her salvation.
- The family takes her to church.
- Friends smile, introduce themselves and welcome her to our worship time.
- Pastor John preaches a sermon from John 3 while Tomoe follows in her Japanese Bible.
- Later, several of us do puzzles, go shopping, and see the sights.
- We enjoy life together.
- My wife pulls Tomoe aside and asks her about the cross she now wears.

My wife asks, “Do you believe? Have you trusted Christ as your Savior?”

“Yes!” Tomoe beams.

How thankful I am that God allowed me to be a very small part of a very big thing—the entry of a new believer into our family of believers … the Kingdom of God … the increase of God.


Father, thank You so much for the Body of Christ and for allowing me to be a part of it. Lord, help us to grow, to unite and to use our gifts for Your glory. Amen.