Daily Encounter: A Week-day Devotional by a staff of ACTS International.

Thursday, April 15, 2021

"Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom."¹

A four-hundred-year-old tree crashed to the forest floor. Over the centuries it had been struck by lightning fourteen times, braved great windstorms, and even defied an earthquake. In the end, however, it was killed by little beetles. Boring under the bark, they chewed away its mighty fibers until the giant of the forest lay broken on the ground.²

Little things can either make us or break us. A little lie, a little theft, a little laziness, a little neglect, a little drink a little too often, a little sarcasm, a little denial here and a little there, being a little too critical â€¦ bit by bit we can add them all together and eventually hurt or destroy our relationships, our physical and/or mental health, and our walk with God.

On the other hand, a little smile, a little deed of kindness, a little encouraging word, a little thoughtful gift, a little phone call, a little bit of love given a lot of times every day can add up to a whole lot of sunshine that we can spread wherever we are and goâ€"and in so doing encourage others, enhance our relationships, improve our physical and mental health, and please the heart of God.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please help me be aware of the many little things in my life. Help me to clean out all the 'little' sins and self-destructive habits that hurt myself and others, and help me to keep on practicing little acts of love and kindness until they become an everyday habit that will show your love to others and please your heart. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

1. Song of Solomon 2:15 (NIV).
2. Bill Tucker with Pat Maxwell, "Living a Power-Filled Life."

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