2 Chronicles 4:12-22: a reflection

12the two pillars, the bowls, the two capitals which were on the top of the pillars, the two networks to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were on the top of the pillars, 13and the four hundred pomegranates for the two networks—two rows of pomegranates for each network, to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were on the pillars. 14He also made the bases, and he made the basins on the bases— 15one sea, and the twelve oxen under it. 16Huram-abi also made the pots, the shovels, the forks, and all its vessels for King Solomon, for the LORD’s house, of bright bronze. 17The king cast them in the plain of the Jordan, in the clay ground between Succoth and Zeredah. 18Thus Solomon made all these vessels in great abundance, so that the weight of the bronze could not be determined. 19Solomon made all the vessels that were in God’s house: the golden altar, the tables with the show bread on them, 20and the lamp stands with their lamps to burn according to the ordinance before the inner sanctuary, of pure gold; 21and the flowers, the lamps, and the tongs of gold that was purest gold; 22and the snuffers, the basins, the spoons, and the fire pans of pure gold. As for the entry of the house, its inner doors for the most holy place and the doors of the main hall of the temple were of gold.

This passage inventories the furnishings Solomon made for the temple, the pillars and their capitals, the great bronze sea and its oxen, the pots, shovels, and forks, and then the golden things: the altar, the lampstands, the flowers, the lamps, and even, it notes, the snuffers, the basins, the spoons, and the fire pans, all of pure gold. Down to the smallest implements, the humblest utensils of the service, nothing was too minor to be made of gold for the house of God.

Notice that care extended even to the small things. It would be understandable if only the great, visible furnishings had been made of gold, and the little utensils of something lesser. But even the snuffers and spoons, the small tools most people would never notice, were fashioned of pure gold, because they served in God's house. No part of the service was treated as too small to deserve the best.

That says something about how we serve and honor God. It is easy to give our best only to the visible, impressive things, and to treat the small, unseen tasks as not worth much care. But if even the temple snuffers were of pure gold, then the small and hidden acts of our service to God are worth doing well too, worthy of our care and our best, precisely because they are done for him. Do not despise the small tasks or do them carelessly because no one sees. Whatever you do for God, however minor or hidden, do it well, as the temple's smallest vessels were made of gold. Nothing done for God is too small to be done with care.

Lord, in your temple even the smallest implements, the snuffers and spoons and fire pans, were made of pure gold, because they served in your house; nothing was too minor to deserve care. Teach me to serve you that way. Keep me from giving my best only to the visible, impressive things while treating the small, unseen tasks as not worth much care. Help me see that the little and hidden acts of service to you are worth doing well, precisely because they are done for you. Whatever I do for you, however minor or unnoticed, help me do it with care and my best. Nothing done for you is too small to be done well.