didn't have to

"I long to accomplish a great and noble tasks, but it is my chief duty to accomplish humble tasks as though they were great and noble. The world is moved along, not only by the mighty shoves of its heroes, but also by the aggregate of the tiny pushes of each honest worker."

-Helen Keller-

reminded again tonight by a friend through this quote that the smallest of tasks can have the greatest affect... we may never know how much our little task changed the life of another.
when I was in Africa back in 2001 with YWAM I had the opportunity to share my testimony. I grew up in a home with physical, verbal, and mental abuse. God showed me how to forgive my father for the abuse and to see him through the eyes of the Lord.
I shared that testimony in a small village off the coast of Africa. there were about 100 people gathered under a large tree, the elders of the village sat on benches and chairs that were carried by community members who had the items and the man power to get them there.
As I shared my testimony, pouring out my heart, laying the seeds of forgiveness, and explaining how the Lord had changed my life. I had an expectation that there were others who needed to forgive and for the Lord to work in their lives. At the end of my testimony I asked the crowd if there was anyone who wanted to pray with one of us to find forgiveness and healing in their life. I was disappointed as the number of responses did not match my estimation or even apply to the testimony I had shared.
At that point in the day I felt as if it had been worthless for me to share at all. What good was it for me to bear my soul and drudge up the painful past if it weren't going to bring someone to a better understanding of how the Lord can move and encourage someone to make a change and find freedom and forgiveness in their life!?
A felt defeated. Like I didn't need to speak about my past. I was upset that the Lord had told me to speak and no one had made any declarations of change at the gathering.
That night, back at our sponsor house, we had a debriefing of the day.
I shared some of my frustration and was soon stunned to silence.
One of my team mates spoke up. She shared of a young woman who had suffered years of abuse from her father, years of pain, hostility, and bitterness. The young woman approached my team mate and asked her to pray with her. She wanted to forgive her father. She found freedom in forgiveness that day.
My own insecurities, fed by the lies of the enemy no doubt, had nearly snuffed out the zeal I had for sharing my testimony. I may never have known that one young woman chose to forgive that day. Her life is now different because I was obedient to share the work of the Lord in my life. The Lord didn't have to give me that little piece of information. But I am ever grateful that He did. It reminds me to do my part in being an "honest worker" and participate in delivering the "tiny pushes" that have shaped me into the person I am today.
I challenge you to do the same. I challenge myself to find more opportunities with you all to share those little things in life that shape my core being. I hope you will share yours with me. "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."