Do you want to live a life of significance? It’s simpler than you think.
It’s easy to confuse bigger with better and visible with valuable. But what if small, often unseen things, such as a simple gift, a simple note, or a simple prayer, can impact eternity in ways beyond what you can imagine? Believe it or not, by doing small things with great love, we can eternally impact God’s Kingdom for his glory. What could be more significant?
- A Little Beginning
“Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin” (Zechariah 4:10 a NLT).
What is God asking you to begin or begin again? Start a record of the small steps you are taking toward your goal. Celebrate your progress and growth. Make note of each new milestone, but remember much of your growth will be on the inside.
2. A Little Love
“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you” (John 15:12).
Settle in your heart that God is your first love and open your heart to receive his love. Without his love you have nothing of significance to give.
3. A Little Vessel
“‘Your servant has nothing there at all,’ she said, ‘except a small jar of olive oil’” (2 Kings 4:2b).
Turn your hands with your palms facing up to God. In this posture, pray God would fill your empty vessel and commit to him that you will pour out what he’s given you to fill others too.
4. A Little Invitation
“Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world” (Matthew 25:34).
Knowing how God can use a little invitation to make a significant impact, think about to whom you can extend an invitation. Who knows where it may lead?
5. A Little Yes
“‘I am the Lord’s servant,’ Mary answered. ‘May your word to me be fulfilled’” (Luke 1:38).
If you have never said yes to God by putting your trust fully in Jesus, there is no better time than this very moment. To say yes, you can say a simple prayer like this: Lord, I admit I am a sinner. I need and want your forgiveness. I accept your death as the penalty for my sin, and I recognize that your mercy and grace is a gift you offer to me because of your great love, not because of anything I have done. By faith, I receive you into my heart as the Son of God and as Savior and Lord of my life. From now on, help me live for you. In your precious name, Amen.
If you have said yes to God as your Lord and Savior, ask him to reveal your next step of obedience. Then say yes.
6. A Little Encounter
“Now He had to go through Samaria….Jesus, tired as He was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon” (John 4:4-6).
View the next encounter you have with a person as one that has the potential to change everything! Consider how an encounter with you could lead to the other person having an encounter with Christ.
7. A Little Presence
“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).
Think about who needs the gift of your presence. Show up and simply sit with them.
8. A Little Group
“The Lord did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples” (Deuteronomy 7:7).
Consider joining a small group through your church. Watch how God uses the group of believers to further his kingdom for his glory.
9. A Little Belief
“Everything is possible for one who believes” (Mark 9:23).
Think about someone in your life who might be struggling to believe in Christ, believe in themselves, or both. How can you come alongside to encourage them to believe?
10. A Little Preparation
“My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me so that you also may be where I am” (John 14:2,3).
Reflect on how God has prepared you for your current season. What can you do to better prepare for the season ahead?
11. A Little Meal
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer” (Acts 2:42).
What is your favorite meal? Invite someone to share it with you.
12. A Little Walk
“But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him” (Luke 10:33).
Take a walk and pay attention to the people you pass. Ask God to give you the opportunity to be a good Samaritan.
13. A Little Dream
“When there is a prophet among you, I, the LORD, reveal myself to them in visions, I speak to them in dreams” (Numbers 12:6).
Let’s take a note from Martin Luther King Jr. and his famous history-changing “I Have A Dream” speech. After praying and spending time with God, finish this sentence: “I have a dream to…”
14. A Little Perspective
“And Elisha prayed, ‘Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.’ Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha” (2 Kings 6:17).
Offer someone your outside perspective. They may be struggling to recognize how much they are accomplishing or to see God’s presence in their present situation. Help them to see themselves the way God sees them.
15. A Little Work
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving” (Colossians 3:23-24).
Ask God to open your eyes to see him in the midst of your daily jobs and chores. No matter what work you do, pray God helps you realize your significant contribution.
16. A Little Song
“Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth” (Psalm 96:1).
Make intentional choices to turn on worship music today. Sing along in praise to the Lord.
17. A Little Companionship
“But Ruth replied, ‘Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God will be my God’” (Ruth 1:16).
Do you know someone who might be lonely and in need of companionship? Go and simply spend time with them.
18. A Little Celebration
“In a loud voice, she exclaimed: ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me’” (Luke 1:42-43)?
When you hear someone sharing good news, do you react with jealousy or celebration? Be intentional about celebrating others even for small victories. Watch how they react as you cheer them on.
19. A Little Time
“What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes” (James 4:14b).
Ask God to reveal the value of the moments in your life. Make space to intentionally focus on these moments and cherish each one.
20. A Little Touch
“A man with leprosy came and knelt in front of Jesus, begging to be healed. ‘If you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean,’ he said. Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out and touched him. ‘I am willing,’ he said. ‘Be healed’” (Mark 1:40-41 NLT)!
Offer a handshake, pat on the back, hug, or a hand to hold. Don’t be surprised if the person you reach out to responds with, “I needed that!”
21. A Little Prayer
“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God” (Romans 8:26-27).
Think of someone in your life who needs prayer. Bow your head and pray.
22. A Little Faith
“Without faith it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:6 a).
Read Hebrews 11 and think about what the heroes of faith were commended for. Finish this sentence: By faith (your name)…
23. A Little Conversation
“The tongue has the power of life and death” (Proverbs 18:21 a).
Say hello to the next person you pass. If someone speaks to you, engage with them and continue the conversation.
24. A Little Money
“Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on” (Mark 12:43–44; cf. Luke 21:1–4).
Spend money on someone else today. Let the Lord lead you on whom to bless.
25. A Little Effort
“Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on” (Mark 2:3-4).
Ask God to open your spiritual eyes to see the need of others. Be intentional to prioritize meeting those needs.
26. A Little Humility
“Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18).
Reflect on the gifts God has given you. Give him all the glory for any success or accomplishment in your life.
27. A Little Hospitality
“As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said” (Luke 10:38-39).
Who do you feel God is leading you to host in your home? How can you prepare and be present with that person?
28. A Little Grace
“Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her” (John 8:7b).
Thank God for his undeserved favor. Ask him to reveal if you have been judgemental and if there is someone in your life whom you need to extend grace to? Settle that in your heart today and tell them if you need to.
29. A Little Inclusion
“Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture” (Psalm 100:3).
Think about whether you have a tendency to exclude others. Then, the next time you are in a social environment, take notice of your surroundings and look for ways to include someone who may feel left out.
30. A Little Testimony
“They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony” (Revelation 12:11 a).
Reflect on your testimony to see how God has been present in your life.
31. A Little Tradition
“This is a day you are to commemorate; for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the LORD—a lasting ordinance” (Exodus 12:14).
What is your favorite tradition? Be intentional about connecting to God and others as you commemorate these special occasions.
32. A Little Gesture
“Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume” (John 12:3).
Set aside an umbrella. The next time it’s raining and you see someone without an umbrella, give them yours.
33. A Little Letter
“You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts” (2 Corinthians 3:2-3).
Write a letter to someone who God places on your heart. Prayerfully consider what God might have you say to them.
34. A Little Courage
“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7).
Next time you are faced with a fear, reach out for the hand of the Lord and let him guide you forward in faith.
35. A Little Thought
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things” (Philippians 4:8).
Pay attention to your thoughts. Catch any negative thought and replace it with a truth from Scripture.
36. A Little Clothing
“I needed clothes, and you clothed Me” (Matthew 25:36 a).
Look for opportunities to share your clothing with others by donating or simply letting them borrow something for an occasion.
37. A Little Gratitude
“Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all the wisdom through psalms, humans, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Colossians 3:16-17).
When someone does something for you or says something kind, say thank you. Perhaps it’s even the Lord you need to thank.
38. A Little Encouragement
“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing” (1 Thessalonians 5:11).
Read God’s encouraging words. Then, share those words or one of my suggestions with someone whom God places on your heart.
39. A Little Story
“Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. ‘Do you understand what you are reading?’ Philip asked. ‘How can I,’ he said, ‘unless someone explains it to me?’ So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him” (Acts 8:30-31).
Share a story from the Bible with someone else. Talk about how God is speaking to you through the Scriptures.
40. A Little Interruption
“When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. When Jesus landed and saw the large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick” (Matthew 14:13-14).
How do you see people who interrupt your schedule? As annoyances or as the reason for your life and ministry? The next time you are interrupted, take the time to stop and give the person your full attention. It very well could be a divine interruption.
41. A Little Perseverance
“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope” (Romans 5:3-4).
Get quiet with the Lord and ask him to reveal any areas or relationships you gave up on too soon. Resolve to finish what you started.
42. A Little Seed
“The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches” (Matthew 13:31-32).
Plant a seed and watch it grow as a daily reminder of God’s work in your life.
43. A Little Kindness
“‘May I continue to find favor in your eyes, my lord,’ she said. ‘You have put me at ease by speaking kindly to your servant—though I do not have the standing of one of your servants’” (Ruth 2:13).
Look around to see how you might be able to show kindness to others. Choose one little act of kindness that would be significant to someone God puts on your heart.
44. A Little Look
“Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight” (Hebrews 4:13a).
Make eye contact with the people around you. Remember purposeful eye contact communicates to people they are seen and valued. Letting them know you see them could help them realize God sees them too.
45. A Little Sacrifice
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship” (Romans 12:1).
How can you sacrificially love someone in your own life today? Write down the name of someone you can serve and schedule a time to make it happen. Pray for the strength and discipline to act selflessly and sacrificially toward that person.
46. A Little Forgiveness
“Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you” (Colossians 3:13).
Reflect on how completely God has forgiven you. Once you realize the magnitude of the forgiveness he has offered you, consider who in your life you need to forgive. Offer your forgiveness to them verbally, if appropriate, as well as inwardly in your heart.
47. A Little Cup
“Then he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank from it. ‘This is the blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many,’ he said to them” (Mark 14:23-24).
Offer a cup of coffee, tea, or lemonade to those God reveals to you who might be in need of refreshment. Pray it opens the door not just for physical refreshment but for emotional and spiritual refreshment as well.
48. A Little Number
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
Ask God to show you who in your life might be lost. Look for opportunities to share God’s love and affirm their individual value to him.
49. A Little Object
“Then the Lord said to him, ‘What is that in your hand’” (Exodus 4:2)?
Take inventory of what God has placed in your hands. Pray you steward well what he has given you.
50. A Little Vision
“Where there is no vision, the people will perish” (Proverbs 29:18 a KJV).
Is there a project that excites you in your community? Join in the work and help finish the project to see the vision come to fruition.
51. A Little Less
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).
No matter how small your position or task, humbly obey God’s directives and watch the healing and cleansing that can take place for you and others around you.
52. A Little By Little
“The Lord your God will drive out those nations before you, little by little. You will not be allowed to eliminate them all at once, or the wild animals will multiply around you” (Deuteronomy 7:22).
Look over your journey of little tasks. Reflect on how God has taken your little a long way.
I pray these ideas are helpful for you to see how small individual acts in our daily lives lead to a significant impact in the kingdom of God. Let me know what you would add to the list in the comments.
If you loved these brief ideas, you’ll especially love my devotional titled A Little Goes a Long Way: 52 Days to a Significant Life. Each day includes a personal story tied to a biblical example of how to apply these ideas to our daily lives. A significant life is simpler (and smaller) than you think! Purchase your copy today!
