My friend Beth had this written on one of the many whiteboards in her room at OSU. Everytime I would visit her, I saw this and thought, "Do I do small things with great love?" The fact I even had to ask that should have given me a red flag.
After reading Heaven is For Real today, I felt moved in many ways and it simply got me thinking. Then, I was asked to help paint the inside of our garage. Something I did not see the point in and it seemed silly to me, but my dad needed my help so I did it. My arms were like jell-o from helping carry DJ's soapbox derby car this morning that they quickly became tired after a few strokes. I should mention, I was painting with a roller, I hate rollers, I'd rather paint with an old fashioned brush. I pondered getting frustrated and then I realized why I was doing it. I would have rather sat inside and finished another book I'm reading, but I didn't. I was painting because I love my family and they needed my help. With each stroke, it got hotter and my arms got more tired. I kept doing it. I started thinking again about the book and how it inspired me. Then something that I used to think about often was how much Christ suffered because he loved us. He loved me almost 2000 years before I was even conceived. The sufferings He endured are minimal to my painting woes. I love my family so doing this little task was a sign of showing it.
Then, of course, I was thinking of Peru. A thought that is often present throughout my days. What am I going to be doing in Peru? Small things, with great love. I will pass a homeless man on my way to the market and flash him a smile. My smile is not perfect and shiny, yet it is a small thing, that I have the ability to do with great love. I won't just be doing that for the poor around me though. I'm sure that at times, I will have to do something for my brothers and sisters of community that I would rather not do at that time, but I will. Why? I haven't even met my community, yet I love them already. This is something that is often lost in our society. Why go out of our way to help someone? They're capable of doing that. I don't want to, I have better things to do. We are all called to love as Christ loved. To serve as He served. Luke 22:26 says it best. I consider myself truly blessed to have realized this before getting on the plane. It is something I need to work on and now I have 2 months to do so before arriving in Lima.
I thought about not sharing this with you all right away. However, I realized that if you are a Cradle Catholic, Non-Practicing, Atheist, Jewish, Protestant, Muslim, or any other religion, it is a simple message that is absent today. To do small things with great love is to do something that is traditionally against the norm. Mother Teresa lived this out every day. Her Missionaries of Charity still do. Those on mission in America or around the world have already realized the need for this and have put it into action. I challenge you all to try to do ONE thing with GREAT love this week. Try it every day. Jesus sacrificed so much for you. Can't you do something small for someone else? You have to truly mean it though. Don't do it for yourself. Do it because you love that person. Even if you have no idea who they are, do it because you respect life and love them. If it is someone you really have a hard time loving, do it because Jesus loved you so much He died for you. Offer it up as a prayer to Him and ask for His help to love others or for any other petition you may have.
"Give yourself fully to God. He will use you to accomplish great things on the condition that you believe much more in His love than in your own weakness." Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta
