Celebrate Small Victories

After sending the boys off to school, I walked past the kitchen to head to my office area.  When I walked by the empty kitchen sink, I celebrated a brief moment of happiness.  I made waffles for the family this morning and washed the dishes right away.  Seeing the sink empty of dirty dishes made me feel I had accomplished something worthwhile, something I ought to savour for a moment.  The clean dishes and empty sink was a victory worth celebrating.

Washing the dishes may seem a very insignificant thing.  It does not compare with landing a rocket on the moon, climbing a mountain peak, or surviving a fiercely fought gunfight as a soldier.  Clean dishes seem even less important because dishes become dirty again.  Since the next meal will generate more dishes, it can be one of those thankless jobs that never seem to be done.  Consider this:  how would your life be different if you saw the little household victories like mopped floors, clean windows, and washed dishes as great victories?  How thankful to God we would be!  Our appreciation of the strength and wisdom He provides would grow exponentially.  What if we saw small sacrifices for God's glory and the good of others as massive victories only accomplished by God's grace?  When we recognise we cannot do anything without God's help, no victory would seem small.  Indeed, even the smallest completed task is a miraculous victory to be celebrated if we maintain this biblical perspective.

Cleaning the kitchen cannot hardly be compared to warfare, but it is an accomplishment we ought not take lightly.  For some folks, simply getting out of bed when the alarm goes off at dark-thirty is a massive win!  Should we take this victory over the soft fetters of drowsiness lightly?  No!  Turning down that dessert, saying no to the second soda is a victory to be celebrated.  Our celebration should not be to boost our pride or build confidence in self, but in recognition and praise of God's grace toward us.  1 Corinthians 10:31 says:  "Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."  In seeking an arbitrary "victory" to celebrate (let's say losing 10 kilos), we neglect to celebrate when we only lost one!  In fact, the one kilo lost over two weeks feels more like a failure because we have forgotten that in everything we are to give thanks and rejoice before our Saviour.

If your sink is clear of dirty dishes, thank God and celebrate Him.  If your sink is full of dirty dishes, thank God you have dishes to clean!  In everything rejoice, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.