We dream of doing ‘great’ deeds in the future, but often fail to see the many ‘small’ things that could be done in the present; thus, life slips by, and the opportunities to do ‘great’ deeds might never come our way, or if they do, we might not be able to use them because we did not prepare ourselves by doing what was within our capacity when it was, but which we perhaps thought was unworthy of our attention or beneath our dignity.

     In the Tao Te Ching (chapter 63), we find: "In the Universe, great acts are made up of small deeds." And Jesus is reported to have said—in Luke 16:10—"He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much."

     Some of us look down upon certain kinds of work, but the lowliest form of work can be ennobled if we know how to do it, for it is we who designate things as ‘great’, ‘small’, ‘important’, ‘unimportant’, and so on, is it not? If we take care of ‘small’ things, we shall probably be able to deal with ‘great’ things, too. But if we are careless with small things, we probably shall be no more careful with great things!

 

"Do the work

that’s needed—

Though it’s dull at whiles—

Helping when you

meet them,

Lame dogs over stiles."

 

Ella Wheeler Willcox: THE LAW.