Yesterday one of our students shared her experience of running her first marathon, the GFNY Marathon, which took place this past Sunday in Florida. One thing that very much resonated with me was the role that small things played in the ultimate outcome of the race. Decisions made while training in preparation for race day, choices around nutrition – how one “fuels the machine” in the days leading up and on race day morning, the thoughts that drift in and out of one’s mind, significant ones or silly, minor ones, positive or negative thinking, whether one is focused on their body (breathing, heart rate, cadence, etc.), on the scenery, or on prayer intentions, choosing to run hard up a hill mid-race to get out of one’s mind, or to hold back. Each of these things, whether they seem significant at the time or not, have an impact on the overall outcome of the race, whether positively or negatively.

But there were two small gestures, which occurred in the final, grueling miles of her race, which I found to be especially powerful. Apparently, there was a point in the race where there’s a switch back, where there are few spectators and one feels as if they are running in “no-man’s land,” except for the section where those who already made the turn pass those who are on their way out, facing each other as they run in opposite directions. A runner who was a few miles ahead uttered: “nice job runner” as she ran by. It reminded her of those solitary morning runs in East Rock, when she would pass by the same man walking his dog each day, who would say: “good morning runner!” And in the final few miles, which were apparently made up of monotonous loops, when the race was at its most difficult, when the finish line felt so far away and each one had every right to focus on themselves, their body, holding it together and just getting it done, she chose to offer a smile and a thumbs up to fellow runners as she passed them.

Well after she had finished the race, one of those fellow runners approached her, and thanked her for that small gesture – the smile and the thumbs up – because it gave him the boost he needed in order to get it together, to finish strong.

In Tuesday’s scripture passage from the Gospel of Luke, Jesus said that: “the Kingdom of God is like a mustard seed that a man took and planted in the garden. When it was fully grown, it became a large bush and the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches.” As disciples of Jesus Christ we have signed on for the long run, spreading the Gospel to everyone we meet, which requires endurance and perseverance, each and every day. Sometimes, it feels hard to believe that our little works of love—acts of kindness, encouraging words, precious few minutes spent with someone who needs us, a loving glance, small sacrifices and prayers whispered to God on another’s behalf—have any real lasting impact at all. Especially if we’re people who are used to seeing immediate results or quantifiable outcomes for the work that we put into any given endeavor. The truth is that even the smallest things have a long, lasting impact on the world and the people around us, whether negatively or positively. Not until we have finished our earthly course – and have reached the other side of eternity – will we see how each of those little gestures, inspired by and carried out in collaboration with God’s grace, subtly contributed to growing the kingdom. We must engage that holy endeavor, persevering moment to moment, mile for mile, until we have crossed the finish line.