“We must learn to be attentive to the small and easily missed parts of life.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – July 1, 2021
You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment. Matthew 5:21-22a, ESV
Living on land in the country, I’ve learned that regular maintenance and attentiveness to the land is a non-negotiable part of the deal. What comes along with this is the upkeep and care for the tools and equipment that make said maintenance possible in the modern world. In short, I have to care for my lawn tractor if I ever hope to mow my lawn!
Recently, I was “blessed” with three flat tires on the tractor, which led to a few weeks of identifying the problem, sourcing and ordering tubes, and having a local tire shop restore them to working order, with the tractor jacked up and out of service. Once we finally re-installed all of the tires, double checking our work every step of the way, we proudly started her up, ready to conquer our sorely neglected lawn. Yet, as you might expect, though the engine was running perfectly well, the mower would not move an inch, forward or backward.
After my wife and I spent the better part of an hour hunting for the source of the problem, we broke down and finally brought in the experts at YouTube. Of course, thanks to the miracle of the internet, within 5 minutes we’d found the source of our problem, and the solution: a missing axle shaft key. Though 5 minutes before this video I didn’t know such a key even existed, I soon realized that it was the essential component that guaranteed my mower would move, and not simply spin in place. This small and easily missed key, no larger than a nail, had fallen out when initially taking the tire off, rendering the entire tractor useless until it was found and returned to its proper place.
Though it may not be immediately clear, I believe there is a profound lesson of the spiritual life contained in this story. Namely, we must learn to be attentive to the small and easily missed parts of life. We have to learn that life is a connected and integrated whole. The thoughts you have in private impact the public decisions you make. The small and unseen acts of integrity contribute to a comprehensive life of holiness and fidelity to Christ and his Kingdom.
As Jesus himself said in Matthew 5, “Everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment.” Here he directly connects the public and horrific sin of murder to the unseen and often unknown anger that festers deep within our hearts. Everything is connected, and he longs to heal, not only the most obvious sins and forms of brokenness, but to source and root out every sickness that keeps us from flourishing as his sons and daughters.
And so, pay attention to the details, for they are essential and indispensable parts of the whole.
Prayer
Father, transform us in every way by your grace, that we may be healed and whole, we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Application
What part of your life, as small as an axle shaft key on a tractor, have you potentially neglected or ignored, that may be impacting your life in significant ways?
Related Reading
Matthew 18:9; Mark 9:43; Luke 16:10
Worship Resource
Tim Hughes – Everything
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