List of points

Will-power. A very important quality. Don't despise little things, for by the continual practice of denying yourself again and again in such things — which are never futile or trivial — with God's grace you will add strength and resilience to your character. In that way you will first become master of yourself, and then a guide, a chief, a leader: to compel and to urge and to inspire others, with your word, with your example, with your knowledge and with your power.

Don't fall into a vicious circle. You are thinking: when this is settled one way or another, I'll be very generous with my God.

Can't you see that Jesus is waiting for you to be generous without reserve, so that he can settle things far better than you imagine?

A firm resolution, as logical consequence: in each moment of each day I will try generously to carry out the will of God.

Don't judge by the smallness of the beginnings. My attention was once drawn to the fact that there is no difference in size between seeds that give annual plants and those that will grow into ageless trees.

Don't forget that, on earth, every big thing has had a small beginning. What is born big is monstrous and dies.

You tell me: when the chance comes to do something big, then!… Then? Are you seriously trying to convince me — and to convince yourself — that you will be able to win in the supernatural Olympics without daily preparation, without training?

Have you seen how that imposing building was built? One brick upon another. Thousands. But, one by one. And bags of cement, one by one. And blocks of stone, each of them insignificant compared with the massive whole. And beams of steel. And men working, the same hours, day after day…

Have you seen how that imposing building was built?… By dint of little things!

It has been a hard experience: don't forget the lesson. Your big cowardices of the moment correspond — clearly — to your little cowardices of each day.

You 'have not been able' to conquer in big things, because you 'did not want' to conquer in little ones.

Don't be a fool! It's true that at most you play the part of a little bolt in that great undertaking of Christ's.

But do you know what happens when a bolt is not tight enough or when it works itself out of place? Bigger parts also work loose or the gear-wheels get damaged and broken.

The work is slowed up. Perhaps the whole machine will be rendered useless.

What a big thing it is to be a little bolt!