Little Drops Of Floods

Many years ago, I noticed a small drop of water on a table – don’t ask me what made me pay particular attention to this. I really don’t know why the drop caught my attention; it maybe because it was the only one on the table or because I was terribly bored and had nothing better to do than to stare at a table! But in any case, I noticed the drop and became fixated on it. It was there, proud and shiny: an oasis of wetness on an otherwise “barren landscape.”

A minute rolled into two, then three and on it went. I can’t quite say when it happened, but I just realised the drop was no longer there! It had evaporated! I thought to myself, “…the drop had ‘died.’’ Somehow, I felt a bit sad for the drop of water that “was and was no more.” But then I realised my folly. (No! Not the folly you are most probably thinking about). I realised the drop hadn’t died. It had just changed state. The drop was in the air around me. In fact, it was meeting up with other drops all around. Together they will merge and become a flood. Sure enough, a few days later, it rained heavily. I’d like to think the drop was one of the many that flooded the earth.

This “experience” was very striking for me. I wrote a poem about it and published it in my book, “The Blessings of Pain.” I find many striking allegories in the experience of the drop. I believe it is correlated with many important and fundamental themes of life. Please allow me to share one of these themes with you. Little things matter. Big things often start from small things.

Most people I know want and pray for a sudden miracle that will totally transform their lives. They want to sleep one day and wake up a billionaire the next.  They want that ‘sudden inexplicable miracle.’ But the strange thing is, I know of very few people that this has happened to. Even for those that gamble (and that is become a very common thing nowadays), the odds of winning a mega jackpot are greater than that of being struck by lightning. You have a better chance to be struck by lightning than to win big in lottery.

Little things matter. A wise man said thousands of years ago that it is only when you are faithful in little that much will be committed to your hands. If you will not hand the small task of writing a letter well, why should you expect someone to give you a multimillion dollar book deal? If you cannot faithfully account for the money given to you to run a modest errand, why will you expect – nay earnestly pray and fast, that you be put in charge of a large company? If you are unfaithful in little, why expect the big and mighty?

The flood of increase and influence you are looking for will come one drop at a time. Do not despise the drops that will eventually be your flood of impact. The drop of consistency is important in building up this flood. Stay at your task. Celebrate one victory after another. Before you know it, you have a flood. The drop of diligence will help greatly in increasing the flood. I have yet met anyone killed by hard work. Hard work won’t kill you.

As the saying goes, “No food for lazy man.”  The drop of discipline will help you to endure when all seems tough and hard. This drop is particularly important to gauge your start when the flood emerges. The discipline you don’t build in your days of little beginnings may just be your undoing in your days of plenty. Many have risen to the top only to be destroyed due to lack of discipline. Please dear friend, it must be gradual. A little here, a little there and you increase is sure with the blessings of God.

What ‘little thing’ do you have in your hands today? That is the building block of the mighty. Don’t despise the little. You don’t build a skyscraper from the top. It is said that a grave is about the only thing you start building from the top. Don’t despise the little drops of your flood!

Gbenga Adebayo is the CEO of Livinghealth International; Host, AreaDoctor and Health 101 on Youtube. You can follow him on twitter @dradebayo