A Drop in the Bucket

     The horrendous news of the devastation remaining as a result of the tumultuous Hurricane Katrina left me with such sadness. Destruction, waste, and ruin was everywhere in the New Orleans area. The need was obvious and glaring, yet I felt that whatever I could contribute whether monetary or physical would simply be ‘a drop in the bucket’ to what was actually needed.

     The world-wide broadcast of the tragedy in Japan announcing the horrifying tsunami overwhelmed me with compassion. I wanted to go. I wanted to give. However, my insignificant efforts seemed a pittance of what was essential, and once again I believed my offering to be just ‘a drop in the bucket’.

     Today my friends in the South have sent messages to our family about the rash of tornados that has once again visited their state leaving behind a path of destruction. One affected family lost their home just last year to a tornado and has freakishly lost their newly built home in this latest storm. What can we do to help? Our contribution would seem so insignificant to the whole picture.

Finally my eyes were opened, and I came to the realization that every project or mission must originate with . . . A Drop in the Bucket! To win a soul, you must offer a first hello. Building a new church requires that first nail to be hammered. Feeding the poor necessitates at least one can of food! Meeting the needs of foreign missions dictates someone giving that first dollar. All – just a drop in the bucket.