There is a Tanzanian Proverb that says, “Little by little, a little becomes a lot.” It is hard to do things little by little. We like to see big goals happen quickly, but that is not usually the way it works out. Fitness coaches will tell you to make a smaller, achievable goal that can be fulfilled in a short time so that you can build off the momentum of success to ultimately achieve your big-picture goal. The same is said when paying off your debt. It’s called the snowball effect. You pay off the smallest bill first, then put that payment onto the next small amount, then put both of those payments onto the next small amount, and the monthly payment gets bigger while the debt gets smaller. Not only is this financially effective, it is also psychologically effective, as you continue to celebrate wins all along the way, which builds momentum for you to keep going. These small successes ultimately lead you to achieve your big-picture goal, i.e., pay off all debt. Here at Sewickley United Methodist Church, we have a group of faithful chefs who have worked hard month after month, soup after soup (and hummus), little by little and together have raised A LOT of money to help support the life of our church. Though we will be very sad to see the opportunity to feast on their wonderful soups and hummus go away, we will still have the opportunity to benefit from their faith.

The folks who have made soup and hummus have taught us an important lesson. There is no effort too small. When you do something faithfully, consistently, and with others, the impact becomes grand. Eventually, that person will hear the truth about Jesus’s love for them after the 100th time you have told them. Eventually, that person will believe they are worthy of God’s forgiveness and mercy. Eventually, the building will get fixed. Eventually, the boiler will stop leaking. Eventually, all the keys on the organ will work, or the piano will be brand new. Eventually will come. You can choose in which way it arrives. Does it arrive with the faithful success of your small actions taken little by little, or does it arrive with the disappointments of inaction, because it wasn’t grand enough of an idea?

Thank you to all who have made soup and hummus; thank you to all who made the phone calls, took the money, handed it out; thank you to all who put the details in the announcements and on the bulletin board. Thank you for your continued faithfulness to one soup at a time, one month at a time, one year at a time, for seven years of perfection and the completion of the Building of Faith loan. Thank you to those who have supported the sale and, little by little, contributed to the huge impact. Together, we will continue to look for ways to faithfully serve.

From one light to another,
Pastor Hannah Loughman

Photo by Angela Roth