Every effort counts!

We were driving in the back areas of Cobb the other day and came upon a tree.  There were two trees here, and to the best of our understanding the tree had two regular visitors: the woodpecker and the squirrel.  Now, I don't think these two get together often and plan these things out, but it seemed that they were helping each other but didn't really know or understand how.  From what is appeared to us, that the woodpeckers were making holes in the trees and then the squirrels came by later and used those holes to store their acorns.  We did not realize what was on the tree until we walked up to it but it was a ton of holes with acorns shoved in them.  


No I don't know about you, but I would think that it would take FOREVER to fill that whole tree up with nuts to be stored, but little by little, the squirrels were able to fill up both trees from bottom to top!  I think through life, and we don't think that we could make a difference with one thing versus another and that even if we tried a little, it wouldn't make a difference.  We have to remember though, its not man that counts the kind acts, its God.  And God is all knowing and does see every small step we take to better following Him.  In 3 Nephi 18:32 Christ is teaching about being loving and excepting of everyone.


"Nevertheless, ye shall not cast him out of your synagogues, or your places of worship, for unto such shall ye continue to minister; for ye know not but what they will return and repent, and come unto me with full purpose of heart, and I shall heal them; and YE shall be the means of bringing salvation unto them."


  I love this scripture to me, because it states that every effort that we do for ourselves and our fellowman is worth it.  That we do not know, and cannot judge whether someone will be touched by our actions.  The woodpeckers didn't know that they would help the squirrels, and they probably don't see the use they were to the squirrels, but the squirrels see it and utilized it and above all, God sees it.  




If God hasn't lost hope on us, then why should we?