The thought crossed my mind.
“The Power of Small.”
Too cliche.
Too overused.
Too Bill Hybels; Rick Warren-ish. Or maybe John Maxwell-ish.
Scrap it all. Maybe I’m cynical, but a lot of people who attend inspirational seminars, pep talks, and The Victorious Christian Life or Find Your Inner Buddha meditation sessions come away raving about how their life is going to be wildly different. Then, a few weeks later, they are disappointed to be doing exactly the same things that have gotten them to exactly where they currently are in their lives.
Maybe where you are is where you want to be. Maybe you’ve arrived.
I haven’t.
I went to a John Maxwell seminar. Yeah, I admit it. I came away pumped, but also feeling like I had imbibed a fridge-full of over-sweet Christmas candy.
Ok, I’ll stop there.
I’m not mud-slinging, name-calling, or calling down anyone.
I think Maxwell has done a good job of helping and motivating people to change. It’s not really his fault. He has a lot of good points.
So does Rick Warren. Maybe even Hybels?
It’s really our fault that we’re where we are.
They’re just taking advantage of our human weakness and making a buck off it.
(Ok, that was cynical.)
********
It all happened over Christmas.
A Starbucks tumbler.
More importantly – free coffee for a month.
Every morning so far this month I’ve been in there. Downtown Edmonton. Jasper Ave.
I watch the barista discount $2.15, and I walk away, free coffee in hand.
It got me thinking.
How much money would I spend in a year if I bought a Starbucks coffee every morning? How much money would I save if I didn’t get the coffee?
I did some calculations, and while it wasn’t a massive life changing sum, it was definitely a good chunk of change.
More than the painful amount that was debited from my account to fix my van earlier this week.
I rounded it up to $2.50. I got onto my online banking, and set up a recurring transfer.
Every day. $2.50.
Small amount. Peanuts, really.
In one year, without interest, I would save $912.50. Two years? $1825.
Let’s try 5? $4562.50.
That’s enough money to take a really nice vacation to Hawaii. A nice trip to London, if you prefer.That’s enough money to buy a decent used car. That’s enough money to take a honeymoon. That’s almost a year’s limit for your Tax Free Savings Account!
Just $2.50 a day. It’s pretty easy to put in that much.
Just as easy as buying a “cheap” coffee from Starbucks.
But that little habit adds up.
Instead of waiting until I feel like saving, or until I am at a good place to save, or have enough money to start a savings account – I am saving now.
Doing something little each day to contribute to something big down the road.
Life is no different.
Getting to your goals is no different.
Becoming stronger in your faith, obtaining a degree, performing that piece, writing a book – it all starts with a daily commitment to do something small.
Going to a seminar once in a year and getting pumped might help get you thinking about your life long dreams and how you can achieve them, but too often, they focus you on the end; the big achievement, the culmination of years of hard work.
The victorious Christian life is not a total possibility on earth. While we are chained to this body, we are chained to the flesh. Perfection is not meant for now.
But the obedient Christian life is a lifestyle that is meant for now; small choices developed by habit over a lifetime, by daily choosing to do little things, to resist the urge to procrastinate, to put off that task one more evening.
While you have the time in front of you – use it! While you have the chance to do something – do it!
If you are thinking a detrimental thought; choose now to stop thinking it, and refocus your thinking. It’s not about overcoming the evil; that’s not our job.
But we can focus on the right things. We can take one step in that direction.
Write a paragraph. Read a chapter. Practice 20 minutes. Solve two problems on a bus ride.
It adds up.
Just like $2.50 a day.
