Sendy Mom

Finding Strength in Small Acts: Lessons from Mother Teresa

Mother Teresa was born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu in 1910 in southeastern Europe. She was a woman of small stature—only 4 feet 11 inches tall. Yet, her impact on the world was immeasurable. She once humbly stated,

“I believe that if God finds a person more useless than me, He will do even greater things through her because this work is His.”

Mother Teresa

Her size never limited her. Her faith propelled her. She served the poorest of the poor with unwavering love and dedication.

The Power of One Small Act

There is a well-known story about a young boy on a beach. He tossed stranded starfish back into the ocean, one by one. When a man pointed out the futility of his actions, the boy responded, “It made a difference to that one.” Mother Teresa lived by this principle. Over twenty-five years, her homes rescued over thirty-six thousand people from the streets, and gave more than eighteen thousand, the dignity of dying surrounded by love and kindness. Her work proved that no act of love is too small to matter.

A Calling That Changed the World

At twelve years old, Mother Teresa felt a call to missionary life. By eighteen, while praying at the altar of the Patroness of Skopje, she recognized her true vocation. She joined the Sisters of Our Lady of Loreto, moved to India, and began teaching in Calcutta. However, at age thirty-six, during a train ride to Darjeeling, she received a “call within a call.” She felt a divine command to leave the convent and live among the poor. Trusting God completely, she exchanged her habit for a simple sari and took a nursing course to prepare herself for a life of service.

Mother Teresa’s journey was not easy. At first, she was alone. But soon, her former students joined her, and together they founded the Missionaries of Charity. In 1952, she opened a home for the dying. By 1965, her order had grown to include 300 sisters, and it soon expanded across continents.

A Life of Recognition, Yet Focused on the Least

Mother Teresa was honored with numerous awards, including the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979. She accepted the award not for herself, but for the poor she served. Despite global recognition, she remained humble. She believed true poverty was not just material but the spiritual poverty of loneliness, discouragement, and lack of meaning.

She was canonized as Saint Mother Teresa in 2016, nineteen years after her passing. Her legacy lives on through the thousands of Missionaries of Charity still serving today.

Love Without Judgment

Mother Teresa did not judge those she helped. She simply loved them. It’s not surprising to me that Gretchen chose Mother Teresa as a Sendy Spotlight suggestion because that is just what Gretchen does. She serves and loves. One of her most touching stories is about a man she found in a gutter, his body covered with worms. As she and her sisters cared for him, he said,

“I’ve lived like an animal in the street, but I’m going to die like an angel, loved and cared for.”

He died with a smile on his face. This is true charity: love without conditions.

Her approach reminds me of Faith Robles, featured in Episode #9 of Sendy Mom Podcast, who explained that helping others requires patience and a willingness to love without judgment. True assistance comes not from criticism but from pure love.

Bringing Peace into Our Own Homes

Mother Teresa often emphasized the importance of starting change at home.

“Peace and war start within one’s own home. If we really want peace for the world, let us start by loving one another within our families.”

Mother Teresa

She believed in seeing the good in life and often laughed heartily. We can cultivate joy in our own lives. Then, we can share it with our families. This joy can spread to our communities and ultimately the world.

She didn’t seek validation for her work; she simply did it because she felt called. This is a powerful lesson for all of us. What do you feel compelled to do?

Seeing the Invisible and Loving the Lonely

Loneliness can be as devastating as poverty. Who do you know that feels unseen, discouraged, or without purpose? How can you extend kindness? A simple smile or kind word can change someone’s day—or even save a life.

Several years ago, I struggled with my own self-worth. Even small interactions, like speaking with a cashier, felt overwhelming. I longed for kindness but sometimes encountered cruelty instead. A ski lift operator was joking with people in line in front of me. I wondered if he would joke with me too. I was smiling hoping he would say something to me. He looked at me and very rudely said “What are you looking at?” I felt heartbroken. Then he told me that my jacket was dirty and started laughing. These experiences taught me that kindness costs nothing but can mean everything.

The Freedom of Humility

One book that changed my perspective was The Courage to Be Disliked. It introduced me to the idea that none of us need to be “special” to have value. Many of us grow up believing we must prove our worth through accomplishments. But true fulfillment comes from serving others without seeking recognition.

Mother Teresa echoed this idea:

“If you are humble, nothing will touch you, neither praise nor disgrace, because you know what you are.”

Mother Teresa

When we love purely, we rejoice in others’ success and offer grace when they fall.

The Extraordinary in the Ordinary

Father Angelo, one of Mother Teresa’s close friends, said,

“She was an ordinary woman who did everything in an extraordinary way.”

Father Angelo

She noticed small things—like bringing pomegranate juice to a sick friend. Her ability to focus on others freed her to truly see them. I am still working on this in my own life.

Each of us has something to offer. Every person we encounter deserves to be seen and valued. By feeding the hungry, smiling at a stranger, or simply listening, we honor the legacy of Mother Teresa.

I leave you with some of her most powerful words:

“What can you do to promote world peace? Go home and love your family.”

“Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.”

“If you judge people, you have no time to love them.”

“We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop.”

Let’s be that drop. Let’s make a difference, one small act at a time.

Mentioned in this Episode:

Mary Ellen Mark – photographed Mother Teresa in 1979

A force for good – When a legendary photographer met an iconic missionary – Benazir Wehelie

Mother Teresa Birth Anniversary – Hindustan Times

No Greater Love – Mother Teresa