When I was a little girl, my parents purchased a brown split-level house on an acreage outside of town. The sandy lot was barren with a busy road to the west.  

My parents bought blue spruce, poplar, and fruit trees to beautify our property and to help with the noise from the highway. 

Each Saturday that summer my dad would wake my siblings and me up to help plant the trees. It took a while, but eventually we had them all planted. 

Then dad wanted us kids to water the trees every morning. Since some trees were farther away, the hose didn’t reach and my siblings and I would fill five-gallon buckets and carry them together throughout the yard. 

Planting and watering trees weren’t our favorite chores! But my siblings and I obeyed and learned that every chore whether big or small is important. Years later due to our family’s faithfulness with the yard work, my parents’ acreage was beautiful.  

Ministry can be like planting and watering trees. Some tasks may be unpleasant and exhausting, but we know we should.  

In the Bible, a master gave talents to three servants based on their abilities. He expected the servants to be faithful with the task in front of them.  

Two of the servants worked hard and multiplied their talents, while one servant was afraid and hid his talent. 

When the master returned, the afraid servant was scolded and had his talent taken away. The faithful servants were praised and heard the master say, 

“Well done, good and faithful servant! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” Matthew 25:21 

As we serve around the world planting trees, folding bulletins, cooking meals for the sick, or anything in between, may we be like the faithful servants and faithfully complete the tasks in front of us, even if the task seems measly. May we do our very best and keep persevering. 

“Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.” Vincent Van Gogh