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| Small Offerings |
I read a piece by Xochitl Dixon in the God Sees Her devotional where she confesses serving and worshiping God through her writing. Then an acquaintance criticized her and she became discouraged.*
I can relate to this because I have been posting to this blog for eleven years and I never seemed to be able to increase a following that is significant to all the work I put into each post.
Finally... I recently decided that instead of agonizing over the blog's statistics, I would give those stats back to God. After all, it is the Holy Spirit that speaks through me to develop the postings in the first place. I began signing off each posting with, "To God be the glory."
In her devotion, Ms. Dixon compares our use of spiritual gifts as offerings to God.*
Like the poor widow in Mark 12th chapter, that tossed her two mites into the treasury (worth less than a penny in today's market), I will offer my small gifts back to the One who called me and equipped me with the gifts in the first place. Jesus said of the poor widow, that she had put more in the treasury than even the rich.
I thank God for the few followers I do have, and I decided that even if I am the only one reading these postings, then they must be just for me.
If I never gain fame and fortune, I will be fruitful in this endeavor. I will plant my seeds and watch over the field to the best of my ability.
The mustard seed is one of the smallest herbal seeds on earth but when it is sown in the earth it grows and becomes greater than all herbs. It shoots out large branches and can grow as high as 15 feet.
Though your beginning is small, yet your latter end will increase abundantly.
God can do what I cannot.
The Lord said to the prophet Jeremiah, "I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Be encouraged brothers and sisters.
Dee Richardson, Voice of the Dove
* Reference: God Sees Her: 365 Devotions for Women, Our Daily Bread, Priceless Worship, January 8, Xochitl Dixon, Author