The Bigness of Small Things

How can a church building suddenly turn up missing? Well, it really did in a rural part of Russia. It was stolen! Last seen in July 2008, the 200-year-old Russian Orthodox Church building disappeared just a few months later. Orthodox officials in a village northeast of Moscow intended to reopen the abandoned, two-story Church of the Resurrection and begin services again. Imagine their surprise when they came to the place where the church had once stood and saw nothing! Apparently, it is a common occurrence in rural areas of Russia for vacant churches to have their gilded icons and other valuables stolen. But now the entire church building itself had been stolen! How did it happen?It happened brick by brick. Nearby villagers dismantled the structure in October 2008 and sold each brick to a local businessman for one ruble each (which amounts to about four cents per brick). “Of course, this is blasphemy,” a local priest declared, “These people have to realize they committed a grave sin.” But it does raise a question, “Where were the leaders and members of the church? Didn’t they also commit a grave sin through their neglect and lack of participation?”

Who knows how these things happen. I’m sure they occur for a variety of reasons. Perhaps it has to do with a number of “terrorist cells” I recently heard about. “News reports” say that five terrorist cell groups have been operating in many of our churches. They have been identified as: Summa Bin Sleepin, Summa Bin Arguin, Summa Bin Grumblin, Summa Bin Murmurin, and Summa Bin Missin.

Okay, I made up that last part. Just having a little fun with you, but there is a point. Little things like complaining and grumbling seem insignificant when compared to the bigger picture of God’s kingdom work, but they can do a great deal of damage. They can tear down God’s people and God’s church, “one brick at a time.” They can quench the fire of the Holy Spirit’s work.

The Hebrew people of Moses’ day had seen God do miracles. They saw God bring judgment on the Egyptians through 10 plagues. They were eye-witnesses to the dividing of the Red Sea. They saw God provide manna and water in the desert wilderness to feed over a million people. Yet, they still complained against Moses and Aaron and even the Lord Himself. It grieved the Lord so much, that He brought various judgments upon them. Those little things began to build into bigger issues and even outright idolatry and rebellion, and soon the entire nation was missing out on God’s Promised Land. It can happen to churches, too.

But I have also heard of some counter-terrorist groups being formed: Summa Bin Prayin! Summa Bin Teachin! Summa Bin Sharin! Summa Bin Givin! Summa Bin Faithful! I truly thank God for those who are faithful with the “small things.” They keep the church strong and focused on the mission of God. They are the mortar that holds the bricks in place so that the evil one cannot steal them and cause the building to collapse. They are people like you who serve God day in and day out without murmuring or complaining, even when you might have a reason to do so. Let’s stay faithful to the small things so we can see God do the big things.