“Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast Thou ordained strength because of Thine enemies, that Thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.” Psalm 8:2
The Bible has a good deal to say about that which we would not normally consider as the instruments of praise, glorifying God. But, if we would understand something of the goodness and mercy of God in dealing with us, these “humble,” and lowly things must be considered. For example, when Jesus was at one time in the temple, healing those who were sick and the manifest blessing and power of God was present, the children there began to say, “Hosanna to the Son of David.” (Matt. 21:15) The chief priests and scribes were very displeased, communicating this to Jesus. His response, “Yea; have ye never read, “Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings Thou hast perfected praise?” One would not normally think that God would “ordain strength,” then receive praise from the mouth of babes and sucklings, but He did by the Spirit. He chose that which was considered limited, weak, frail, and “simple,” without a great capacity to respond to God. But they did respond, and in the strength and joy of the Spirit of God. Jesus also would at one point thank the Father for hiding spiritual things from the wise and prudent, and revealing them unto babes. (Luke 10:21)
Small things can be very important things, and we dare not “despise the day of small things,” or beginnings. In the account of Namaan the leper, we have a hopeless situation where this captain of the Syrian army, a man of great valor and strength, was highly regarded by his king as being honorable. Scripture tells us that, “… by him the Lord had given deliverance unto Syria.” (2 Kings 5:1) However, the problem with this very honorable, and great man, was that he was a leper. He was facing a certain, miserable death, with no hope to stop the decent towards it. It is then that one of God’s “little things” plays a role that is monumental in the story. The little thing is a “little maid,” an Israelite, who had been taken captive, and who waited on Naaman’s wife. When we look at this small child, we do not think of great things. We almost always fail to see things from God’s perspective. This little maid had precious faith in God, and it was of such a nature and quality, that she sincerely believed that God, by Elisha the prophet, would heal Naaman of his leprosy. Simple faith from the heart of an innocent child was the catalyst to change the whole story of Naaman, bringing him, not only to be healed, but to trust wholly in the God of Israel. This we know by his statement to Elisha: “Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel.” (2 Kings 5:15) There are other things in the narrative of Naaman that are “little,” or insignificant, in the world’s eyes. One of these are Naaman’s servants, who loved him, and desired the best and highest for him. They too most certainly had faith enough to implore him, entreating him as a father, to obey Elisha. Their plea to him concerning his hesitation to wash seven times in the Jordan River, was the following: “My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? How much rather then, when he saith to thee, ‘Wash, and be clean.” These servants were “little,” we do not even know their names. But because of their humility and respect they had for Naaman, they were able to persuade him to obey Elisha. Dispensing with his pride, he washed seven times, in the Jordan, was healed and cleansed completely.
There is one more story about little things, and it has to do with a young lad with five meager barley loaves, and two “small fishes.” Jesus would take these meager provisions, give thanks, bless, and distribute them to the multitudes. A shall boy was the key.
Dear Father, Use wonderfully the little things. In Jesus’ name, Amen.