Are you grateful for little things in your life?
If I asked you, “What are you grateful for?” what’s the first thing you think of? Is it something big or small? Something recent, something in the distant past, or is it for something in the future that hasn’t even happened yet? I’m curious how often you’re grateful for little things.
Last week, in a class I teach at the Federal Correctional Institution in Danbury, CT, I asked the group what they were grateful for. This class is designed to help prepare the men for re-entering society. It was pretty inspiring to hear all the things they were grateful for, especially in light of the fact they’re in prison.
Most of the guys expressed gratitude for their health, their family, their friends, and most importantly, their relationship with God. It was wonderful to hear all this gratitude pour out of their hearts.
Grateful for a toothbrush
But one fellow surprised us all when he said he was grateful for his toothbrush. There were a couple of chuckles in the room, but I asked him to give us a little more detail. I wondered for just a moment if he was joking. But he explained that at one point he needed a toothbrush and went to the Commissary, a place the men can purchase food and personal items. He ended up buying two.
Recently one of his toothbrushes broke and it was a good thing he had a spare, because the Commissary was completely out of toothbrushes for quite a while. This man was very grateful simply to have a toothbrush.
We spent a little time in class talking about why it’s important not to take the little things in life for granted, but always be grateful for them.
Gratitude in the Bible
So I got to thinking about what the Bible has to say about gratitude. And there’s a lot.
Most of the references have to do with thanking and praising God for all the amazing things God has done, like creating the world, delivering the children of Israel from Egypt or warring armies, and big and important things or events.
To get just a taste of this you might enjoy reading Psalm 136. Verse after verse, it reminds us to thank God.
Here are just a couple of verses to give you an idea of what I’m talking about,
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good!
His faithful love endures forever.
Give thanks to him who made the heavens so skillfully.
His faithful love endures forever. Psalm 136:1, 5 NLT
Being grateful for little things
It’s easy to notice and thank God for the big things in life. But the more I thought about the fellow being grateful for his toothbrush, I wondered what the Bible had to say about being grateful for the little things.
This took me on a deeper dive. The first two verse I thought of were
And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:20 NLT
Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 NLT
If we’re supposed to be grateful for everything and all circumstances, that includes the small stuff as well as the big stuff.
How often do you consciously take time, even just a moment, to thank God for the small details of your life or a seemingly insignificant experience?
I can remember many times when the simple smile of a stranger passing me on the sidewalk made me feel joyful. I have come to see that these incidents are not insignificant at all.
Gratitude at the Last Supper
Think of Jesus at the Last Supper. Jesus knew what was coming. He knew what would happen in a few short hours. And yet, as he was celebrating the Passover meal with his disciples, he offered a simple word of gratitude when he shared the wine and bread with everyone.
Then he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. Then he said, “Take this and share it among yourselves.
He took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this to remember me.” Luke 22:17, 19 NLT
Even with the ordeal he was about to face, Jesus took a moment to be grateful to God for something small and commonplace, the bread and the wine.
I think this gives us a taste of how Jesus saw the world. He acknowledged God as the source of everything, big or small.
Well, I kept searching the Bible and found some very specific references that mention the importance of small things. They don’t all specifically mention gratitude, but when you look at them through the lens of being grateful, it’s clear they are moments for gratitude.
Be grateful for small beginnings
For example, there’s an interesting conversation between the prophet Zechariah and an angel, this is
“Zerubbabel is the one who laid the foundation of this Temple, and he will complete it. Then you will know that the LORD of Heaven’s Armies has sent me. Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel’s hand.” Zechariah 4:9, 10 NLT
God is saying to Zechariah that small beginnings are good. To me, that implies we should be grateful for these small beginnings, then and now.
Is there any time in your life where something has started out small but grown into something incredibly important and significant? Were you grateful at the time, when it all seemed so small?
Are you doing something right now that is still in the “small beginnings” phase? It’s so important to “not despise these small beginnings.” This is a wonderful time to be grateful.
Gratitude is like a magnifying glass. It helps us see the good that we have more clearly, and it helps us see more of the good that was always there, but we just hadn’t seen it yet.
The power of small things
Jesus often pointed out the importance of small things. This, in and of itself, is a pretty good reason to be grateful for them.
Once Jesus was rebuking his disciples’ lack of faith.
“You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.” Matthew 17:20 NLT
The Lord answered, “If you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘May you be uprooted and thrown into the sea,’ and it would obey you!” Luke 17:6 NLT
A mustard seed is pretty small. Was Jesus saying we don’t need much faith to get a mountain or a tree to move from one place to another? Or is there something deeper going on here?
Why didn’t Jesus compare the amount of faith we need to a grain of sand, which might be about the same size as a mustard seed?
Small but powerful
Jesus really wasn’t talking about the quantity of our faith. He was interested in the quality of our faith.
A grain of sand has no life in it. But a mustard seed has life that can burst forth and grow into a beautiful plant. But just as the mustard seed must be planted in order to grow, so our faith has to be planted, or lived, in our everyday lives for it to grow and flourish.
Have you ever felt like you didn’t have enough faith? That you weren’t good enough or didn’t know enough, hadn’t prayed enough, weren’t spiritually minded enough to cast the metaphorical mulberry tree into the sea?
Maybe that is the very moment to be grateful for the faith you do have, however little it may seem, and to plant that faith in your daily thoughts, actions, and interactions with others.
Using what you’re given is gratitude in action
Putting your faith into practice in your daily life is one of the best ways to express gratitude. Jesus actually makes this point in the parable of the talents.
In the New Living Translation, talents are referred to as “bags of silver.”
The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said, ‘Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.’
The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’
The servant who had received the two bags of silver came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two bags of silver to invest, and I have earned two more.’
The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’ Matthew 25:20-23 NLT
The master of these servants is delighted that they used what was entrusted to them. He commended both of them for using the small amount wisely.
This is kind of like the “small beginnings” in that verse from Zechariah I just mentioned. By using the money they had been given to make more money, those two servants were actually expressing gratitude for what had been given them and for the opportunity it presented. It was gratitude in action.
Now you may think that two or five bags of silver is not that small of a thing, and I would have to agree with you, but compared to all the wealth of their master, it might be safe to assume these seven bags of silver were a very small portion his overall wealth.
Being grateful for small opportunities
Are you grateful for even the smallest opportunities that come to you to use the abilities God has given you? Don’t take anything for granted.
It could simply be a routine request to usher in church or run an errand for a friend. If you’re like me, there are lots of demands on your time and sometimes there are opportunities we have to say “No” to. But it doesn’t mean you can’t be grateful for them, even if you don’t do them.
Gratitude always enriches us, no matter what the circumstance.
The widow’s mite
In thinking about the people listening to Jesus talk about bags of silver, I can almost see their eyes get big in amazement. Most people probably didn’t ever see that kind of money.
Jesus knew that so he made a special effort to teach an important lesson involving a very small amount of money.
Jesus sat down near the collection box in the Temple and watched as the crowds dropped in their money. Many rich people put in large amounts. Then a poor widow came and dropped in two small coins.
Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions. For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.” Mark 12:41-44 NLT
Have you ever wondered what those two small coins were worth?
The two small coins mentioned in verse 42 in Greek are lepta, two of which make a kodrantes, (Latin quadrans). A kodrantes was a Roman copper coin worth about 1/64 of a denarius (which a day’s wage for a laborer). So let’s do some math. Let’s say a day’s labor is worth $200 (that would be 8 hours at $25/hour), and that varies obviously. That means the widow would have put in a little over $3.00.
Jesus is pointing out the significance of this widow’s gift. Just as with the grain of mustard seed, it wasn’t about the quantity of the gift, but the quality, the devotion that prompted the gift.
Are we really grateful for little things?
Isn’t Jesus almost reminding us to be grateful for the little things in life, the little gifts that most people don’t notice?
If you had been one of those rich people giving lots of money to the Temple treasury, when the poor widow put in her two mites, would you have even noticed? Or if you did, would you have seen the value of her gift the way Jesus did?
When someone else isn’t able to give as much as you do at church, either in terms of money or time, how do you see that person? Are you judgmental and feel like you are doing more than your share? Or will you look through the eyes of Jesus and see the value of what is given, even it’s just someone being present in church, and express gratitude for it?
If you are the one who has little time, talent, or money to give to church, but give what you have and show up with love for God and mankind, do you deeply value and express gratitude for what you do offer?
Little things make a big difference
The book of James drives home the point that little things can make a big difference in our lives.
When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. James 3:3-5 NIV
James is pointing out that all these small things have a big impact on a given situation.
Have you ever stopped to be grateful for the rudder on a ship? If you ride horses, do you consciously express gratitude for the bit in your horse’s mouth, or do you just take it for granted and never give it much thought?
You’ve probably heard the saying: Big doors swing on little hinges. When you walk through a door are you grateful for the little hinges that allow that door to open so freely.
How grateful are we really for the little things in life?
If you’ve ever made bread, do you stop to thank God for the yeast, and all the ingredients for that matter?
Jesus used the example of a woman baking bread to show how important small things are in opening our eyes to the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus also used this illustration: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like the yeast a woman used in making bread. Even though she put only a little yeast in three measures of flour, it permeated every part of the dough.” Matthew 13:33 NLT
Yes, we should be grateful for yeast, whether we make our own bread or buy it from the store. But Jesus is using this as a metaphor to show how a tiny little glimpse of what heaven is can transform everything we do.
Are you grateful for every act of love, every single time you forgive someone, every time you or others repent and make amends for even the tiniest mistake, every time you experience and express grace? These are moments when the kingdom of heaven is revealed to us. Be grateful for every single one of them.
Are the big things more important?
Now you may be thinking, James, this all sounds pretty good. I know I should make a better effort to be grateful for the little things in my life. But does it actually make much difference? I mean, I need to focus on more important things.
Let me just say, when you make a practice of being grateful for all the little things, it will change the way you see the big things in life. It will make you realize there is much more good in your life than you were ever aware of.
And it brings healing and wholeness.
Many years ago my wife was at a church meeting when a lady stood up and said, “Gratitude healed me of cancer,” and sat down. That’s all she said.
After the service, my wife went to her and asked a few questions about her healing. The lady said that she just filled her heart with gratitude for everything she could think of. She said she got to where she was deeply grateful for the tiniest things, like the wrapper on the bread. And it was that deep level of gratitude that healed her.
Thanksgiving every day
The podcast episode at the top of this page, Episode 163, is being released just a couple of days before Thanksgiving 2022 here in the United States. And Christmas is just around the corner.
Gratitude is such an important part of the holiday season, and I hope you will take a fresh look at all the things you have to be grateful for, big and small. If you’re listening at some other time of year, or in a country that doesn’t have an official Thanksgiving Day or it’s at a different time of year, just pretend today is Thanksgiving.
I encourage you to be grateful for everything in your life, big and small, the victories as well as the challenges. They all point us back to God and remind us that God is the source of all the good in our lives and the power that protects and delivers us from the challenges we face.
Spiritual metaphors
But I invite you especially to be grateful for the little things, and turn them into spiritual metaphors. For example, wherever you are right now, look around at everything near you. If you’re in a room in your house, what do you see? A door, a window, a light, a light switch, an electric outlet, a computer, a bookshelf with books, pictures or artwork hanging on the wall?
Take a moment to be deeply grateful for each item and then for what that item represents spiritually. For example, a light can represent Jesus being the light of the world. A window can represent receptivity to this light of Christ. It lets in the sunlight but keeps the wind, rain, and snow out; it keeps out harmful influences.
A light switch can represent the choice we have to choose the Christly light and make it a part of our lives.
And what if you’re in the car? What do you see? How grateful are you for the steering wheel, for example? I have to be honest here, I don’t usually get into my car and thank God for the steering wheel, but now that I’m talking about it, I am totally grateful for the steering wheel, not just in my car, but in everyone’s car. It would be pretty hard to get where you wanted to go without one.
A spiritual steering wheel?
Now let’s take the steering wheel to a spiritual level and be grateful for that. What is it that steers your life, that equips you to go in the right direction and make the right choices in life? I’ll let you answer that for yourself, but you can quickly see that when you look at the spiritual significance of some so-called little thing, it’s really not so little. In fact the little things themselves, like a steering wheel, are not so little.
I invite you, sometime in the next day or so, to take 15 to 20 minutes of being grateful just for all the little things you see from where you’re sitting or standing. Then think of what their purpose or function is and be grateful for that. Then, turn each thing into a spiritual metaphor and be grateful for that.
And I hope you’ll write all this down. I’ve been keeping a journal since about 1979 or so. Whenever I go back and read what I’ve written during this kind of gratitude exercise, especially if I’m not feeling particularly grateful for anything at the moment, the gratitude comes flooding back and I feel inspired all over again.
If you don’t have a daily gratitude practice, I encourage you to find one that works for you. Before we go to bed each night, my wife and I always share at least three things we’re grateful for. Sometimes they’re big, sometimes they’re small. Sometimes it’s many more than three. But it’s a wonderful way to end the day.
What are the little things you’re grateful for today?
Photo credit: freebibleimages.org
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James Early, the Jesus Mindset Coach, is a Bible teacher, speaker, and podcaster. He conducts Bible workshops online and in person. His focus is on getting back to the original Christianity of Jesus by embracing the mindset of Christ in daily life. Contact him here.
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Bible References
Psalm 136:1, 5 NLT
1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good!
His faithful love endures forever.
5 Give thanks to him who made the heavens so skillfully.
His faithful love endures forever.
Ephesians 5:20 NLT
20 And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 NLT
18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
Luke 22:17, 19 NLT
17 Then he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. Then he said, “Take this and share it among yourselves.
19 He took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this to remember me.”
Zechariah 4:9, 10 NLT
9 “Zerubbabel is the one who laid the foundation of this Temple, and he will complete it. Then you will know that the LORD of Heaven’s Armies has sent me.
10 Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel’s hand.”
Matthew 17:20 NLT
20 “You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.”
Luke 17:6 NLT
6 The Lord answered, “If you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘May you be uprooted and thrown into the sea,’ and it would obey you!”
Matthew 25:20-23 NLT
20 The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said, ‘Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.’
21 “The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’
22 “The servant who had received the two bags of silver came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two bags of silver to invest, and I have earned two more.’
23 “The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’
Mark 12:41-44 NLT
41 Jesus sat down near the collection box in the Temple and watched as the crowds dropped in their money. Many rich people put in large amounts.
42 Then a poor widow came and dropped in two small coins.
43 Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions.
44 For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.”
James 3:3-5 NIV
3 When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal.
4 Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go.
5 Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.
Matthew 13:33 NLT
33 Jesus also used this illustration: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like the yeast a woman used in making bread. Even though she put only a little yeast in three measures of flour, it permeated every part of the dough.”
