Faithful Small Things: On Grace, Boundaries, and Ordinary Holiness

“Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits lacks sense.” (Proverbs 12.11, ESV) 

1. On Generational Patterns and Personal Responsibility: Our parents gave us their best, and inevitably, they passed along their struggles. This is the human condition: we inherit both blessings and the unfinished work of those before us. Yet wisdom begins when we move beyond blame to take responsibility for our own spiritual formation before God. “The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.” (Ezekiel 18.20).
2. On Divine Initiative and Human Response: No human is coming to rescue you from yourself, except that Someone already has. Christ’s salvific work doesn’t eliminate human effort; instead, it transforms and dignifies it. The gospel provides both the foundation and telos for our labor and perseverance. “…work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2.12-13).
3. On Sacred Boundaries: Establish boundaries. Speak truth with clarity. Release those who consistently treat your presence as optional rather than valuable. Scripture counsels us: “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.” (Proverbs 4.23). Protecting your emotional and spiritual well-being isn’t selfishness; it’s stewardship.
4. On Incarnational Faithfulness: Spiritual fidelity often manifests in mundane practices: adequate sleep, nourishing meals, and completing neglected tasks. Formation rarely occurs through dramatic revelation alone; more often, it emerges through quotidian faithfulness. Answering the email, folding the laundry, extending forgiveness once more. ““One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much…” (Luke 16.10a).
5. On Exhaustion Mistaken for Condemnation: You’re not under some cosmic judgment; you’re depleted. Consider Elijah beneath the broom tree, desiring death in his exhaustion. God’s response wasn’t a theological correction but a provision: rest, bread, and water. “And he lay down and slept under a broom tree. And behold, an angel touched him and said to him, “Arise and eat.”” (1 Kings 19.5). Sometimes the most spiritually appropriate response is taking a nap and eating a meal.
6. On the Theology of Small Things: God accomplishes his most profound work through consistent, modest acts of trust. Character formed through minor faithfulness prepares the soul for greater responsibility. “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’” (Matthew 25.21) 

Grace and peace in the ordinary, 
~PW 🌮🛶