Christian Living Stories: An Elephant’s Tail

Short though the elephant’s tail may be,
he can still flick away flies with it…
(West African proverb)

Have you ever noticed how tiny an elephant’s tail is compared to the rest of its body?

Its size, however, does not diminish its purpose or effectiveness.

All of us feel like an elephant’s tail sometimes. Perhaps we think we are insignificant in the great scheme of things. But that is not how God sees us.

People sometimes tell me that they don’t have the talents or the training to make much difference. Congregational leaders of small churches sometimes think they can do little for God since they lack the structures and programs described in church growth books.

David was a small young man faced with a giant of a problem. King Saul offered David the latest in fine armor and weaponry. But David did the job with just a few small stones and a simple sling.

Sometimes the greatest work is done by the least impressive people with the simplest tools. No matter how little you think you are or how little you think you have, God can use you for his great purpose.

Author: James R. Henderson