Do not despise small beginning!

The Bible says “Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin…” (Zechariah 4:10, NLT). Sometimes our beginnings seem so small and insignificant, and yet God shows us that He can do mighty things… even with a small beginning. It’s easy to despise the day of small beginnings. Small beginnings often come with hard work and little help. Small beginnings usually offer tall resistance and modest encouragement.

In 1858, a Sunday school teacher, Mr. Kimball, led a Boston shoe clerk to give his life to Christ. The clerk was Dwight L. Moody, who became one of the world’s great evangelists.

In 1879 Dwight L. Moody awakened evangelistic zeal in the heart of Frederick B. Meyer, pastor of a small church in England. Sometime later F. B. Meyer preached to students on an American college campus and led to Christ a student named J. Wilbur Chapman.

Chapman later was involved in YMCA work, and he employed a former baseball player, Billy Sunday, to do evangelistic work. Billy Sunday became the most popular evangelist of the early 20th century, preaching to more than 100 million persons and making more than a million converts. After he held a revival meeting in one town, the local people decided to hold another evangelistic campaign, and they invited Mordecai Hamm to preach.

During Hamm’s revival, a young man named Billy Graham heard the gospel and gave his life to Jesus Christ. Only eternity will reveal the great numbers of people who have come to Christ all over the world through the ministry of Billy Graham.

Who could have imagined the ongoing impact of that one Sunday school teacher who helped a Boston shoe clerk accept Christ as his Lord and Savior! Today, don’t underestimate what you have. The Bible is full of examples of God uses the foolish things of the world to confound the wise. King David had a small beginning in a field tending sheep and experienced more intense warfare than you or I will probably ever witness. Nehemiah rebuilt the wall of Jerusalem with a remnant despite the opposition and the odds.

The beginning may look small and insignificant. Who knows what impact you may have as you help people to know the love of Christ! Do not despise these small beginnings.