I read about a powerful commencement speech by Admiral William H. McRaven at the University of Texas years ago. I was intrigued, so I watched it recently online. He shared a foundational lesson from his 36 years as a Navy SEAL. I wanted to share it with you because I think his perspectives have significant implications for our ministry.

The most memorable line of Admiral McRaven’s talk was this: "If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed!" He explained that, practically speaking, this first task provides a sense of pride and momentum at the beginning of a day. What’s more important is his statement that "If you can’t do the little things right, you’ll never do the big things right."

For those of us serving Chinese students on campuses, ministry often feels like a series of “little things”—picking up students at the airport, answering questions about the Bible, or responding to everyday curiosities like, “Why do Americans drive on parkways and park on driveways?” or deeper questions such as, “Is the U.S. functioning and acting like a Christian nation today, if it ever was?”

In the rush of ministry, such little things can feel insignificant and small. Yet in God’s kingdom, nothing is truly small. As the Bible reminds us in Luke 16:10, “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much.” These quiet, everyday acts are not distractions from ministry—they are part of it!

Experience shows that Chinese students often remember how we live and conduct ourselves far more vividly than what we say. In this way, the Gospel is not only taught—it is caught through the integrity of our daily lives. When we are faithful in small things, we practice a quiet stewardship that others observe, even when we are unaware.

These disciplines can become the foundation for lasting spiritual impact. What is done in private, seen fully by God, shapes an authentic witness that can gently guide someone on their journey to faith in Christ. So let us be faithful in the small things, trusting that God uses them for far greater purposes than we can see.