I’m sure that the title of this message would not be considered politically correct in today’s culture. There is a small note on the top left of this sermon that is marked “VA Hospital”. I can only suppose that this message was written by Mary Lee in the final days of Rev Boyd G Coday’s life while waiting at the VA Hospital. Rev Coday died of a brain tumor that was being treated at the hospital.

Text: Lev. 21:20-21

“… A dwarf… shall not come nigh to offer bread of his God.”

Dwarf refers to any individual that is considerable smaller than the average of his species… Littleness.

Of course, no man can be blamed for his physical stature. All of the men folk would like to be a noble six foot one or two and a trim, well-proportional 185lbs. No Man Is Blamed For His Natural Height. But every man is responsible for his moral, spiritual and social height.

A man may be as small as Zacchaeus physically, but as generous as that redeemed tax collector became after his conversion when he cried:

“…Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor: and if I have taken anything from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.”

The first of the year is check-up time – a time when most of us usually decide upon a course of resolute action. Ask yourself, “How big was I toward my God and my neighbor in the year that is now past – and how big do I intend to be toward my God and my neighbor in the year that is before me?”

First, let me ask you, “Do you entertain Dwarfish thoughts toward God?”

Most of the time we are inclined to make excuses of our talent before God and accusingly say of him, “…Here is thy lot which I have laid up in a napkin. For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man. Thou takest up, that thou layest not down, and reaped that thou didst not sow.”

It takes a man of mean, “smallish” tendencies to say a thing like that about his Creator. Our God is such a God of magnitude and generosity that He despises littleness of means in any form.

A lot of folk are so little that they won’t count their blessings or they can’t because they’ve never learned their multiplication tables. A SCROOGE of a person will not be big toward their children or older mother or father – they put them in a nursing home and don’t even see after them – I don’t know if there is a place in heaven for a person like that.

Because some may be that little and nasty, do you think God is the same way?

Are you saying about God as the elder brother of the prodigal said about his father?

“…and he was angry and would not go in: therefore came his father out and entreated him. And he answering said to his father, ‘Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: And yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends, but as soon as this thy soon was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.’”

Do you accuse your God of favoritism? And say you have been so good and loyal toward the cause of righteousness – that it is a pity and rank injustice – that you have received so little in return? Is that how you feel toward God in this moment? God help your pastor if you’re a member of his church… or sit on the board… or are the Sunday School superintendent… a teacher… or God help your wife if you’re her husband!

One preacher knew a lady in his church who was very Godly – whose husband owned and operated a fleet of taxis. This man not only hated his wife’s religion and so resented her God and her church that he charged her full taxi fare out of her household money every time she requested him to take her to church. It was either that or venture out in the dead of winter’s snow and wind.

Another lady who accumulated a great deal through being a miser went to bed at sundown so that she wouldn’t burn electricity. She never drained water from the bath tub – instead carried it to her garden. When finally she decided to visit her daughter in another state, she secured a day coach train seat so she could sit up all night… and because she wanted to be able to check her trunk because she had gathered the apples the wind blew down from the tree in her yard and had filled her trunk with bruised fruit as a gift for her only daughter.

God Hates That Kind of Spirit – So do people!

That’s not thrift – that’s meanness! My text says, “…a Dwarf shall not come nigh to offer the bread of his God.”

Your church giving reveals how big or how small is your attitude toward God. Paul, the apostle says that God accepts our giving on this basis alone:

“For if there first be a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.”

A dollar in the offering from a man who clips coupons and whose interest payments alone are enough to keep him in comfort without touching one cent of the principle – a dollar from a man like that is an insult to God – God doesn’t need a person like that to teach, preach, be a member of the board at church or serve communion. “…a Dwarf shall not come nigh to offer bread of his God.”

WHY? If God has done so little for him, how can such a man possibly manifest the grace of God to others?

Paul says, “Every man according as purposeth in his heart, so let him give: not grudgingly, or of necessity: For God loveth a cheerful giver.”

There you have it! God loveth a cheerful giver.

More than our giving, we need the bigness of our experiences with God. No one has the right to offer the bread of life to others who has not first partaken himself.

O the “spiritual dwarfs” in so many of our pulpits today! Spiritual pygmies in spiritual knowledge – can’t tell a man how to be saved. They’ve never had the mighty baptism of power and service. Instead, they offer book reviews or socials. People sit through their service half starved because they’ve never been with Christ through an experience with Him.

O What a Difference when you hear one of God’s servants step to the pulpit. There’s a bigness about them. You felt they were coming to you just like John the apostle came to them:

“That which we’ve seen and heard declare we unto you. That ye may also have fellowship with us.”

Paul said to young minister Timothy, “The husbandman that laboreth must be first partaker of the fruits.”

“…a Dwarf shall not come nigh to offer bread of his God.”

Second Thought

Do you entertain Dwarfish Thoughts toward your fellow man?

Friend, you can’t be “big” toward God and “little” toward your fellow man at the same time. That is like trying to square the circle.

Jesus told a dramatic story about this when he told about a man who through unwise investments accumulated a huge debt. In desperation, he went to his creditor and said: “Lord have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. Then the Lord of that servant was moved with compassion and loosed him and forgave him the debt.”

Do you think this man forgiven, who had gone bankrupt, was merciful to others? Jesus reports:

“But the same servant went out and found one his fellow servants (who owed him a pittance in comparison to what he himself owed) and took him by the throat, saying ‘pay me what thou owest.’”

“And his fellow servant fell down at his feet and besought him saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay thee all’. And he would not! But went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.”

And this is what our Savior said, “Oh thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt because thou desirest me; shouldest thou not also have had compassion on thy fellow servant, even as I had pity on thee?”

“And his Lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not everyone his brother their trespasses.”

YOU CAN’T READ IT ANY PLAINER THAN THAT

There are many ways to be “little”… actions, deeds, etc. Let’s be careful! No room in heaven for any man, regardless of his religious affiliation, who has allowed hatred, resentment, malice, jealousy or scorn to build up in his heart toward another. You can’t go to heaven with a heart like that.

Always “belittling” someone else? You’ve got to be big toward your fellow man – even when you’re in the right and you know it. Remember, “…a Dwarf shall not come nigh to offer the bread of his God.”

[Alter Call]

A little more of this kind of preaching will not hurt – even in our churches.

Ask yourself now, “Am I prejudiced? Am I cynical? Am I a faultfinder?” Then we’re not worthy to fellowship with a God rich in mercy – “The liberal soul shall be made fat.”

There are no bargain days with God. You can’t get the same thing cheaper somewhere else. Calvary is big enough to cover all your sins (your littleness). And God asks in return that you “love him with all thy heart, soul, mind and strength – and thy neighbor as thyself.”

Oh, the “highness” of salvation – that’s why it can reach you.

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This poem is from a loose note in my Grandma’s collection. It is dated “Dec. 1941″ and comes from a collection sent out by the “Old Paths Tract Society, Shoals, Indiana 47581″.

As the Christmas time approaches, my
heart is filled with joy.

Some nineteen hundred years ago was
born a Baby Boy;

In the little town of Behlehem, on one
Christmas day,

A tiny baby in swaddling clothes, in a
Manger lay.

He did not come to a palace, no luxuri-
ous bed could be had,

Just a plain old stable with a manger,
in Matthew and Luke it is read.

The three wise men guided by the one
bright star,

Found the sweet infant in the stable
afar.

God had to arrange a welcome, angles
circled the sky,

The heavenly orchestra singing, some
day we’ll know just why,

Do you think the shepherds, as the an-
gels did sing,

Thought of their freedom and a new
born king?

Did they think the message perhaps
was a fable?

When told their Messiah was born in a
stable?

They thought it the truth, how joyful
to them,

To know that a Saviour was born to
save men.

Wise men from the east, studying the
heavenly star,

Observed an unusual phenomenon,
then came the gifts from afar.

They called his name Immanuel, as
the prophecy did fortell;

He grew to man-hood, taught the truth
then ascended to heaven to dwell.

The babe in the manger will come back
to earth

We’re as sure of this as we are of
His birth.

He ascended to heaven, in glorious
array,

Let’s expect His return in the very
same way,

Thessalonians four says He’ll return
with a shout

May we all be ready, and not be in
doubt,

When He comes in His glory, to
receive us on high.

We must all be ready to meet in the
sky.

Dear Lord and Father of mankind,
forgive our foolish ways;

Save us in thine Holy House, and we
will give thee praise.

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Written on a scrap of paper and tucked away in her notes…

“And the night shall be filled with music,
and the cares that infest the day,
Shall fold their tents like the Arabs,
And as silently steal away.”

Longfellow – “Streams In The Desert.”

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