MM#19--The Value of Little Things

Welcome to the theory to action podcast, where we examine the timeless treasures of wisdom from the great books and less time to help you take action immediately and ultimately to create and lead a flourishing life. Now here's your host, David Kaiser .

Hello, I'm David. And welcome back to another mojo minute in the Christian gospel. According to mark, we read quote, he sat down opposite the treasury and observed how the crowd put money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums, a poor widow also came and put in two small coins, worth a few cents calling his disciples to himself. He said to them, amen. I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the other contributors to the treasury for. They have all contributed from their surplus wealth, but she from her poverty has contributed all that. She had her whole livelihood. Unquote, how fascinating of a passage. This is because for the Christian, the God made man Jesus, the Christ did not comment at all on the many people who contributed large amounts, but he did comment on the widow who contributed very little correction. The poor widow as the author, mark tells us very district descriptively. One could imagine she was dressed in the typical garb of a widow. At that time, perhaps her clothes were worn leading mark to think she was poor. She deposited two coins. Mark explains to his non-Jewish readers to whom this gospel is principally addressed. The real value of these particular units of currency. He says two small coins worth a few cents. Unquote other translations has the phrase saying two small copper coins, which are worth a penny unquote and then CA commentary offers more insight to this contribution saying quote in men's eyes that anonymous offering had very little value. Indeed . The two coins were worth a quarter. That is to say in that time, a quarter of an, this coin in its turn was a 10th of a [inaudible] , which was the basic monetary unit of the time at Denaris was the day's wages of a farm worker, a quarter what's scarcely by nothing unquote as one, and reflects on this passage. One can understand that perhaps, and indeed Jesus was not making an economic statement, but he's reflecting on the poor widow's character on her heart, the state of her soul and the state of her heart for he calls this in fact, the most valuable contribution of all saying this poor widow put in more than all the other contributors to the treasury for. They have contributed from their surplus wealth, but she from her poverty has contributed all. She had her whole livelihood, unquote , it would be so pleasing to God made man that he would have called over his disciples who perhaps had been scattered all around the palace or all around the temple. Rather said that they might learn this valuable lesson. This is indeed fascinating because it teaches us. The wisdom of God is not often what men and what society and what culture consider important, but what God considers important, his standard of measurement is very different than what the world is. And of what men say. The standard is down through the ages for the last 2000 years that woman's offering has taught all of us that to touch God's heart every day is to do the little things with great love. The great mother, Teresa of Calcutta Calcutta taught us this lesson by her very life, teaching us quote , do the small things with great love. That is what Christ wants, what Christ loves unquote. And speaking of the value of little things done with great love Admiral William McRaven and his incredible commencement speech at the university of Texas in 2014 helps drive home. This love for the little things. Here's a portion of his speech quote every morning and basic seal training. My instructors, who at the time were all Vietnam veterans would show up in my barracks room. And the first thing they would inspect was your bed. If you did it right, the corners would be square. The covers pulled tight. The pillow centered just under the headboard and the extra blanket folded neatly at the foot of the rack. It was a simple task mundane at best, but every morning we were required to make our bed to perfection. It seemed a little ridiculous at the time, particularly in light of the fact that we were aspiring to be real warriors, tough battle-hardened seals, but the wisdom of this simple act has proven to me many over. If you make your bed every morning, you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride and it will encourage you to do another task and another and another, by the end of the day, that one task completed will have turned into many tasks completed making your bed will only reinforce the fact that the little things in life matter, if you can't do the little things, right, you'll never be able to do the big things, right? And if by chance you have a miserable day, you will come home to a bed that is made that you made and a made bed gives you an encouragement that tomorrow will be better. And if you want to change the world, start off my, by making your bed unquote. So let us do the little things with great love after all. It will be a reward to us as we reflect on how we conducted ourselves that day. And if we love the little things and more true in the end, we will know we have touched God's heart.

Thank you for joining us. We hope you enjoyed this theory to action podcast. Be sure to check out our showPage@tmojoacademy.com, where we have everything we discussed in this podcast, as well as other great resources until next time, keep getting your mojo on.