Who despises the day of small things? (Zechariah 4:10).

Life is filled with a series of small things that can amount to something big. Have you ever considered why the God of the universe came to earth and spent 33 years identifying with mankind through work? Jesus grew up as a carpenter's son and, no doubt, learned the trade from his daily routine of helping his father. For thirty years he worked. When it was time for him to begin to fulfill his purpose for mankind, he told countless stories of people and their work. He told stories of landowners, farmers, fishermen, tax collectors and so on. He related to the everyday man because he himself was one. This is why it was important for him to have some personal work experience.

Life is filled with daily routines. Every now and then, God takes us to the mountaintop to experience His presence in a dramatic way. This is not the norm. It was not the norm for those in the Bible either. Moses spent forty years in preparation. Paul spent a great deal of his life working toward the wrong purpose until a dramatic event changed his life. Jacob spent twenty years working for Laban.

God uses work to develop character qualities that He plans to use at the appropriate time. It is in the small things that we develop trustworthiness with God. It is the day-in and day-out grind of working life that molds us and makes us into what God desires. God may still be preparing you for something far greater. For now, however, you are learning the daily lessons of small things. Pray that you will be faithful.