Just finished watching Apollo 13 for the nth time a few days ago. I usually brag to my boys during the movie “I remember watching that story as it happened in sixth grade.” Yes… I am old.

On the evening of April 13, 1970 when the crew was 200,000 miles from Earth and closing in on the moon, in the blink of an eye, the Apollo 13 spacecraft transformed from a moon-bound vessel to a crippled ship limping its way back to earth. The cause? A spark from an exposed wire in the oxygen tank created a mission-altering fire. That little wire made a big difference.

Apollo 13 makes me wonder… how many of the little things we do end up determining success or failure? At times I think that to make a difference in the world… or even in another person’s life… I have to do something heroic. But if we wait for the heroic before we act… we miss many smaller opportunities to be influential.

A timely phone call. A hand-written note. An encouraging text or email. Taking an interest in a workmate’s  life… their family… their hobbies… their calling. Showing respect. Remembering peoples’ names. Getting on my knees and firing up a few prayers for them. These behaviors are not flashy, heroic, or impressive… but they can be deeply impactful.

Mother Teresa said: “Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.” Yesterday I received an encouraging note from a friend on FB. It was 3 sentences… a small thing done with love… and it energized me. Kind words keep us going when the race gets rocky. Behind the scenes… without fanfare… you can make a huge difference by doing the little things.

Being influential in the little things requires being alert to ways you can encourage a friend, a family member, a colleague, a neighbor, your boss, etc. It doesn’t have to be spectacular, expensive, time-consuming, or complicated. Run through the contact list on your smartphone and when a name jumps out at you… pray for them. Or shoot them a text… or make a phone call. A few well-timed words can be the fuel that keeps them moving toward their life’s mission.

Don’t wait for the heroic moments to act… because in life… and in voyages to the moon… it’s usually the little things that matter most.