I have to confess that I’m not a mechanic. Recently, as hard as I tried, I just could not get my riding lawnmower to work properly. I could crank the engine easy enough and put the mower in gear, but each time, the belt that turns the blade would fall off the pulley. I would stop and put the belt back on the pulley, only to put the mower in gear and have the belt fall off again. Over and over again, I placed the belt back on the pulley, only to see it fall off. I could not figure out why. It was so frustrating.
After a few hours of working on the mower, I finally noticed a small pin (called a Cotter Pin) that was missing near the pulley. There was a medal guard that held the belt on the pulley and this medal guard was secured by this small Cotter Pin. I couldn’t believe that this small, seemingly insignificant, pin was the key to the complete functioning of this huge piece of power equipment. Here was this several hundred dollar riding lawn-mower, with a smooth running engine, that was rendered useless because of a non-working belt held together by a fifteen cent Cotter Pin. What I would normally have deemed insignificant was actually tremendously essential.
I don’t know about you, but there are just days when I feel like I’m the most insignificant, meaningless person in the World. I feel like the little Cotter Pin in my mower. Maybe it’s a mid-life crisis; maybe it’s the stress of everyday life. Maybe it’s because I don’t seem to have any special skills or talents like some people. Whatever the reason, there are times when I just feel almost like a failure in life. I take an inventory of my life and think, “where has all the time gone?” “What have I really accomplished in life.” I’m just little old me and the World is so big. I realize that I am just a little speck of dust in the desert of life. It’s a true feeling of loneliness and mediocrity.
I believe there are times when each of us feels this way. For me, I have my little pity party and whine and complain and feel sorry for myself. Then the Lord reminds me as only He can. He draws me closer to Him and strengthens my relationship with Him. He shows me that the closer I get to Him and His Majesty and Greatness, the more I realize that I really am small, but that there’s nothing to be ashamed of or feel sorry about. The difference is that in God’s eyes, size doesn’t equate to holiness.
The Lord blessed each of us with various talents and gifts. Some of you may have more visible and vocal talents. Some of you, like me, may have less noticeable gifts. The important thing to remember (and I struggle at times myself) is that we can be confident that there are no insignificant gifts and talents in God’s Kingdom. It doesn’t matter whether I’m a small “Cotter Pin” in the World’s eyes, or the large, attention-grabbing “Mower,” all of the part’s are equally important and must work together in unison to function properly. I’m reminded that during those times that I feel small, unnoticeable, and worthless in the World’s eyes, I’m large, strong, victorious, and loved in God’s eyes.
Are you feeling like you’re not making a difference? Are you feeling like your talents are not important? If so, you’re not alone. Snuggle up to God and be reminded that every gift and talent of every person is equally critical to the Work of the Lord. Then, thank HIM for the gifts and talents you do have, no matter what the World thinks; hold your head high and serve HIM with a new found confidence and excitement that only God can bring to your life.
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