I like statement pieces, bright colors, and big accomplishments. I do not like small starts, slow builds, and gradual pay-offs. But that is why the past nine years have been very good for my soul. We have rarely done things quickly, and although God has worked in our lives very powerfully at times, most of His work – both physically and relationally – has been slow and steady.

Ivan and I read through the Bible every year, and we recently finished Zechariah. One of the verses that stood out to me was Zechariah 4:10 “For whoever has despised the day of small things shall rejoice, and shall see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. ‘These seven are the eyes of the Lord, which range through the whole earth.'”

It’s a strange verse, and it comes in the context of chapter 4, where Zechariah is receiving visions encouraging Zerubbabel and the people of Israel to continue rebuilding the temple after they’ve return from captivity in Babylon and are facing opposition and discouragement.

While God was certainly speaking to a particular people in a particular context, I think he also included these words as encouragement for all of us. It’s easy to compare small, apparently insignificant days and events with the glorious “finished products” from our past and forget that these also once began as small things. The Jewish people were tempted to despise the less-than-promising beginnings of their second temple when they remembered Solomon’s temple in all its former glory. But even Solomon’s temple was once a construction site. Ironically, it would be this second temple, the “small thing” that they were tempted to denigrate, in which Jesus would one day, walk, talk, and teach. I think perhaps this is why this verse ends with the seemingly unconnected description of the seven eyes of the Lord. God sees so much more than we can possibly see at any given time. He knows the end from the beginning, not just of our lives, but of all history. And what we may incorrectly downplay as a “small thing,” he may rightly value as a cause for great joy, not just for ourselves but for humanity. I hope this can be encouraging, especially if you are in a season of “small things.”

See you tomorrow!