In this series we are reprinting Spokesman articles by early leaders in the CLC. Pastor James Albrecht is the curator of the series. Pastor Arvid Gullerud (1920-2015) was a leader in the formation of the CLC and a longtime synodical board member. He was chiefly responsible for securing the property in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, that eventually became the campus of Immanuel Lutheran College. We here reprint an article from the Lutheran Spokesman of June 1960.
Great events turn on small hinges. Robert Bruce once took refuge in a cave from a pursuer who was seeking his life. A spider at once wove a web across the mouth of the cave, and when the pursuer came up, seeing the web he took it for granted that no one had entered, and so he passed on. The lives of millions of people hinged upon that little spider’s web.
We cannot always discern which are the little or great events in God’s records. God has taken the humble method of preaching the Gospel and the despised witness-bearing of Christians as the means for the building and spreading of His Church. God has called each Christian to assist in this blessed task of turning men from the darkness of sin and Satan to God, who is the Father of light and salvation. He has called each Christian to guard and keep His Gospel pure and unadulterated so that sinners might be converted to that pardon, comfort and peace which Christ has won for all men. When we think that each of us, by what we do or do not do, by what we say or do not say, by what we give or do not give, by the testimony we give or do not give, may be a pivot on which turns the destiny of a nation or an age, certainly we should be spurred on in our faithfulness to God. God uses insignificant people, the seemingly small talents, and the seemingly feeble efforts of His humble followers for His glory.
It was the seemingly insignificant invitation of Philip to Nathanael: “Come and see” that started the tremendous missionary movement of the early Christian Church. It was through the “chief of sinners,” Paul, who had been saved to bring the saving Gospel of Jesus to others, that the European continent was Christianized. It was due largely to the testimony of Luther that the deteriorated church was restored and that we today enjoy the truth of the Gospel. It has been the mission zeal of a minister here, a layman there, that has started our congregations. The small efforts of but a few school-minded Christians have been the small hinges that opened many of our Christian day schools. The insignificant, but consecrated, gifts of all our people pooled together have opened and will open the door of God’s truth to many more blood-bought souls. We may not turn out the largest number of candidates. We may not open up the most mission stations. But the little we do, let us do it with all our might. Let us do it in the Name of our Lord, and great things will happen. Great events turn on small hinges.
(1920-2015)