It Doesn’t Take Much

A little boy walking the beach with his father asked how sand was made. His father told him to look at the vastness of the mountains around them and said that one day they would all become tiny grains of sand. The boy, bewildered, asked his dad to explain.

“Well, son,” the dad began, “it doesn’t take much.” He explained how the elements eventually erode the largest rocks to mere dust and sand—how all that’s needed is a little time and a little rain.

The son thought for a moment. Remembering last week’s Sunday school lesson, he said, “You’re right—it really doesn’t take much.”

Now curious, the dad asked what he meant. The son replied, “Jesus told the disciples that if they had even a little faith, they could tell a mountain to go into the sea.”

“Okay,” the dad said, “what about it?”

“Well, if the mountains become sand and the sea is filled with sand, then the mountains are already in the sea!”

“I never thought about it like that,” the dad said, smiling. “I’m really impressed by the brainpower you’re using to figure this out.”

The son smiled back. “It doesn’t take much.”

This is a cute story that illustrates the power a little understanding can bring. We may gain prestige, cars, fame, money, and power—and that’s fine—but the Bible says:

“Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.” — Proverbs 4:7 (KJV)

In all that we get, get understanding.

Have you ever met someone with a trail of problems—people love them, then hate them—and they can never figure out why? They carry tons of self-inflicted wounds, yet it never dawns on them that they themselves are the eye of the hurricane. They may have gotten many things in life, but they’ve failed to get understanding. In those cases, power may be reaching the breaker, but the lights still aren’t on. Seek first to gain wisdom and understanding.

Six things to seek to understand better

God — Matthew 6:33

Yourself — Nosce te ipsum (“Know thyself.”)

Others — Seek to understand someone else; it will help you understand God and yourself.

Life — The meaning of life is found here: Matthew 22:36–40.

Death — Hosea 4:6.

Eternal life — John 4:14.