“David continued: “The same Lord who delivered me from the claws of the lion and the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” Saul answered David, “Go! the Lord will be with you.”
1 Samuel 17:37 (NAB)
David was the youngest of eight brothers in his family. His father sent him to the war zone to deliver lunches to his seven older brothers, but God had another purpose for him that day. David spent his usual routine by shepherding his father’s flock, and creating worship songs, until his father sent him on a routine mission of a different type.
David arrived with fresh bread and cheese for his brothers, but when he heard and saw how his people were being bullied by a 9’9” giant named Goliath, he was inspired with bold faith to stand up to him. David was ridiculed by his brothers who tried to prevent him from approaching Goliath, since to them, he was merely their kid brother and not a trained soldier.
After being mocked by trained soldiers, David convinced King Saul to allow him to approach Goliath. Saul was impressed by David’s confidence and permitted him to face the giant. David ran towards the giant carrying nothing but a few stones, a slingshot, and a heart full of faith and courage. One stone from his slingshot struck Goliath on the forehead, and he died.
The Israelites were miraculously freed from Philistine oppression that day. They regained their faith and confidence in God, while David became a folk hero from that day on.
Fast forward 1,000 years and another young boy went on a routine mission, as he packed his lunch and headed to a large crowd one day, to hear Jesus speak. He thought it was going to be a routine day, listening to a new Rabbi speak, but it ended up being a day that impacted people for generations to come, and he played a major part by bringing his lunch.
The boy gave his lunch to Jesus, who miraculously turned the small amount of bread and fish into enough to feed the multitude. The unnamed boy didn’t know when he routinely packed a lunch that morning, it would not only feed 5,000 people but would inspire people’s faith for generations afterward.
Both boys were doing a routine task, by bringing a basket of food to a public gathering place. They never dreamed they would be used by God to inspire the faith of a multitude. Only God can make a routine errand turn into a faith inspiring moment, that would be spoken of for generations.
We never know who will be set free from their fears, find new hope or surrender their heart to God, by something we do or say during some routine task during our day.
I remember a lady who left an inspiring impression on me. Monica was the daughter of a resident at my son’s Nursing Home. When I first began visiting my son, I observed her coming regularly to visit her mother, but Monica was different from other visitors, because she greeted every resident by name, and spent time with them. She offered strangers a hug and a listening ear. I was so impressed by her kindness that I remember hoping I could follow Monica’s example.
Shortly after that her mother passed away and Monica no longer visited the Nursing Home. I never saw Monica again, but now I’m the routine visitor, who greets the residents by name and talks to them with each week’s visit.
I know now that God used Monica to inspire me to follow her example of kindness, and try to make a small difference in the lives of many lonely Nursing Home residents.
The stories of two boys bringing a packed lunch, shows us that God uses ordinary routines of ordinary people to do extraordinary things for others. He can use our lunch break at work, or the daily errands we run, to encourage someone we meet that day. Monica may never know how much she made a difference and inspired me.
Lord, you are the bread of life that we can routinely share with others through simple acts of kindness, which plants seeds of faith in all those we meet each day. Amen
