“How you do anything is how you’ll do everything. We want to do amazing things for God, but that isn’t our job. Our job is to consecrate ourselves to God. Then God does amazing things in us. It starts with the fourth habit — fly the kite. It’s doing the little things like they’re big things. . . . If you do little things like they’re big things, God will do big things like they’re little things.”- Mark Batterson (emphasis author’s)
“Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begun, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel’s land.”- Zechariah 4:10 (NLT)
Before Mark Batterson begins Chapter 7 (“Make Each Day a Masterpiece”) of Win the Day, he introduces Habit 4 – fly the kite. Pastor Batterson then opens with the story of Charles Ellet Jr., a civil engineer. On November 9, 1847, Ellet was commissioned to build a suspension bridge across the Niagara Gorge, a distance of 800 feet. In addition, the gorge had 225-foot cliffs on either side.
Consequently, a member of Ellet’s team suggested a kite-flying contest with a cash prize. On January 30, 1848, Homan Walsh’s kite made it across the gorge. It was the fifteen-year-old’s second attempt. The next day, the team attached a stronger line to the kite and pulled it across. Then, an even stronger line, followed by a rope. Finally, a cable that consisted of thirty-six strands of ten-gauge wire.
And it all started with one kite string. Hence, Mark adds:
“Our heavenly Father celebrates the little steps of faith, the small acts of kindness. In fact, you can’t give someone a drink of water without God taking notice! God is great not just because nothing is too big. God is great because nothing is too small.”
Moving on to Chapter 7, Mark stresses the need to make each day your masterpiece. However, in order to win the day, you must define the win. Above all, before you define the own, you need to define success itself.
Today’s question: Do you feel it’s more important to consecrate ourselves to God or to do amazing things for God? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: Success is stewardship, stewardship is success”