My Walk In The Park

My Walk In The Park

In life, little things count

“And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.”

Matthew 10:42

“Little things are big.”

Yogi Berra

I learned a big lesson when I made a small decision. My doctor counseled me to increase my physical activity, so I started going for hour-long walks in a city park near our home. It is a wonderful oasis from the noise and rush of city life. The park has significant green space, tall trees, and a large pond populated with a wide variety of waterfowl. After my third walk in the park, I noticed the discarded trash left by others: all forms of plastics, beverage cans, and paper littered the park.  Initially, I became angered by those who would so carelessly pollute this beautiful park. Then I became frustrated that the city groundskeepers weren’t cleaning up the rubbish. Finally, I was miffed that walkers like me failed to do their part. After all, it was our collective park, and thus our collective responsibility to pitch in and make this a better retreat space – “Someone should do something,” I lamented. Someone. The good Lord gave me a minute to ruminate on my complaining before whispering, “You are a someone, aren’t you?” I was divinely schooled. I made a small decision that day; I would be the someone God wanted to make the city park a better place. I would not describe it as a calling, but it certainly was a divine assignment.

The next day I gave myself extra time for my daily walk in the park, time to pick up trash and deposit it in the closest garbage receptacle. Seeing paper, plastics, metal and other random disposable objects sprung me into action. Other walkers gave me puzzled looks; some wondered if I was a city groundskeeper, and then there were those who, in passing, thanked me for my thoughtful acts. I began gaining a sense of accomplishment and personal well-being. God gave us all responsibility for stewardship of his creation, and by doing these small acts in my city park, I felt I was living in obedience to that. As I walked for exercise and looked for litter to pick up, the Spirit reminded me how a small decision was transforming my heart. He reminded me how small acts can make a big difference for good. American puppeteer Jim Henson once said, “My hope still is to leave the world a bit better than when I found it.” I like that and want to emulate it too.

This experience taught me that, as a disciple of Jesus, I too often want others to do the good God wants me to do. Too often, I look for big opportunities to make a positive difference in the world when countless small needs are right in front of me. Routinely, my default is, “Some else can do that.” It makes me think about the following anonymous British allegorical prose written during the Victorian era to personify apathy and inaction for the greater good.

 Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody

This is a little story about four people named 

Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody.

There was an important job to be done and 

Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it.

Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it.

Somebody got angry about that 

because it was Everybody's job.

Everybody thought that Anybody could do it, 

but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn't do it.

It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody 

when Nobody did what Anybody could have done.

As disciples of Jesus, we are to be difference-makers, change agents, people who seek to do good whenever we have the opportunity.  We are not to be apathetic or reticent regarding good deeds. In fact, we are to be rich in them (1 Timothy 6:18). Scripture warns: “If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them” (James 4:17).  Why should we do good deeds?  We are to do them to bring glory to God (Matthew 5:16).  We are also to spur other disciples to do good deeds (James 2:14).  Martin Luther reminded us, “God does not need our good works, but your neighbor does.”
 
We all know people dealing with spiritual, emotional and mental ‘garbage.’ Brokenness and hopelessness litter many lives. The temptation is to hope someone will help them clean things up. My walk-in-the-park experience taught me that maybe that someone is us. What small thing can you do to change a life for the better? Perhaps it’s a listening ear, a hug, a word of encouragement or a helping hand.  My walk in the park taught me a valuable lesson about how the smallest, good act changes things.  It changed the park's condition and my sense of well-being. I understand that it was simply collecting litter in a city park, but I did it in obedience to the Spirit’s prompting and for God’s glory. Small things, kind things, done with a godly posture, are spiritually and humanly profitable. Consider the claims of the following influential characters. Mother Teresa said, “Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.”[1] Oscar Wilde said, “The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest intention.”[2]  Morgan Freeman said, “How do we change the world?  One random act of kindness at a time.”[3]  “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted,” wrote Aesop.[4]
 
I look forward to how the Lord will build upon my experience in the park. What other small opportunities to do good await me? What assignment does the Spirit have for me to do within my circle of influence? I am convinced that God will place before me opportunities to be an agent for him, a difference-maker for good. I pray that I do not wish ‘someone’ to act on the opportunity given me, but rather that I respond like the prophet Isaiah, “Here am I.  Send me”(Isaiah 6:8c).
 
“To do good, you actually have to do something.”
Yvon Chouinard
 

[1] https://blogs.glowscotland.org.uk/ed/turnbullvva/quotes-from-mother-teresa/
[2] https://quotefancy.com/quote/51705/Oscar-Wilde
[3] https://www.azquotes.com/quote/879106#google_vignette
[4] https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/aesop_109734