“If the women can’t find you handsome, they should at least find you handy.”  That is a quote from the famous philosopher Red Green of Possum Lodge fame.  One of the shows I remember was called, “The Big Thing”.   All the activity of that misguided and testosterone-driven cabal was centered on the oversize load they heard was going to be passing near the town.  No one wanted to miss the big thing even though they didn’t know what it was or exactly when it would come.  They had a tailgate party along the highway in anticipation of seeing something larger than normal.  They were usually disappointed and frankly, I can’t remember how it ends.  Doesn’t matter to me or especially to them … they were in it for the hunt.

Here in the midst of winter drudgery, it is easy to fall into discouragement and depression, especially if we are waiting on a big thing.  Have you noticed that normal things don’t make the news?  You never see a tabloid with the headline, “Man Goes to Work” or “Mother Finally Gets Kids to Bed”.  In fact, you can do a million things well and no one notices; forget to yield the right of way and you’ll get your name in the paper.  Win the lottery and you’ll make the headlines; lose the ticket and you’ll make even larger news.

One of the writers I take like medicine is Oswald Chambers.  His daily devotional, My Utmost for His Highest, is good for the soul.  Here is what Chambers has to say, “The great hindrance in spiritual life is that we look for big things to do.  ‘Jesus took a towel…and began to wash the disciples’ feet.’ ”  Jesus did the ordinary slave thing.  It was done that day thousands of times by thousands of ordinary slaves.  He was sent here to serve, he was a servant, and he was only doing the natural thing.  Chambers also says this, “If I do my duty, not for duty’s sake, but because I believe God is engineering my circumstances, then at the very point of my obedience the whole superb grace of God is mine through the Atonement.”

Most of us will never see a big thing; but in the Lord Jesus Christ, there is purpose and meaningful endeavor all around us.  His life has made this so, and we thank Him.

Keep your stick on the ice!