The Day of Small Things

Zechariah 4:10   "For who hath despised the day of small things?"

Some days.  You know those days.  You are tired before you get out of bed.  People in both lanes are driving BELOW the speed limit.  You can't get some people you care about who are hurting or struggling off your mind.  You leave stuff you need at home.  You are greeted with problems before you get in the door good. You spill coffee on your white shirt.  You wish your Momma was here to rub your head and tell you everything is ok.  Oh, wait.  That may just be me.  But that is my today.  The day when all of those small things seem to be piling up on my head and in my heart.  I'm pretty sure that is not what God was talking about in Zechariah but it is a day of small things.  And I don't like them.

And it is on those days, those days when I most need to count my blessings that I find myself struggling with questions.  Selfish things....why does everybody seem to be out to get me today?  Why can't these people take care of their own issues?  Why can't I wear white just once and not spill something on it?!   But unselfish things too...why can't you give that person some hope?  Why are those friends in so much pain?  Why, Lord, since You are perfect, can't we have a perfect day, or better yet, a perfect life?

I know the answer.  Sin.  Romans 5:12 begins "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world," Stay with me here.  Did sin make me forget my purse or spill my coffee?  No, of course not.  But that is the reason we will never have a perfect day or a perfect life as long as we are on this earth. From the time that Eve was deceived and Adam took a bite of that fruit, sin has been in the world.  If you look around the world today you will see the truth in these words clearly:  2nd Timothy3:2  "For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;" And I have to think to myself, some of these describe me. This is not what God wants us to be, but in our sinful state we very likely may be.  Instead of being frustrated by the traffic, I need to be thankful I made it to work without a wreck.  Instead of thinking that coffee spill ruined my "cute" look today, I should have been grateful I had a shirt to wear and I was not burned.  Instead of wishing for that perfect day, I should have been more concerned as to what I could do help someone else.  You see where I'm going with this.  It is so easy to let the small things, the little things, the things that 5 years from now, even 5 hours from now, will mean nothing to us get in our way.  Why, oh why, am I so easily distracted by those small things?

So, after I apologized to God for getting my knickers in a twist, I thought of this verse:  “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Philippians 4:8.   So that is where I'll turn my focus.  I will think about the nice young man getting buggies in the Wal Mart parking lot telling me I looked nice today (coffee stain and all).  I will think of the fact that there are still good people in this world who try to help others along the way.  I will think about the teenage girl who stated that it was more important to her to know that she belonged to Jesus than it did to belong to a certain clique.  I will think of my grandchildren who are so precious.  I will tell someone some good news and not just bad news.  Because in the midst of all those small things that make me frustrated there are just as many small things that bring me joy and happiness!  I will leave you with a quote from Richard Carlson, author of Don't Sweat the Small Stuff....and its all small stuff):  “When you take time , often to reflect on the miracle of life - the miracle that you are even able to read this book - the gift of sight, of love and all the rest, it can help to remind you that many of the things that you think of as "big stuff" are really just "small stuff" that you are turning into big stuff.”

Thanks for being a part of the good things in my life.  :)