This past week, I was reminded that little things matter and can make a huge difference.
My wife had plans to prepare dinner for her family, but got unexpectedly delayed at an appointment. Given this, she sent the following message in our family chat:
“Family, I have to be at *** longer than planned. I’ll need some help with dinner. Any volunteers?”
My heart sank because I was looking forward to her cooking, and I had neither the time nor the expertise to take on that task. However, I figured that I would rely on our daughter to come to the rescue. So, I replied in the chat with the following,
‘We’ll sort it out somehow.’
Or so I thought…
A few minutes later, my son entered my room and asked,
“Daddy, did you mean to send that message in the chat that you did?”
“What are you talking about?” I queried.
I proceeded to see what he was referring to and realized that I had typed,
“Well sort it out somehow.”
One apostrophe completely changed the meaning and tone of the message.
Thankfully, my wife had not yet seen the message. So, no damage control was needed. I edited the message, adding the apostrophe, and learned a valuable lesson – small things matter.
Oftentimes, we are tempted to overlook small things. Here are four areas where paying attention to the little things will make a world of difference:
1) Acts of Kindness. Kindness is often remembered and shown in small ways, such as offering a word of encouragement at just the right time, remembering someone’s special day, listening to and empathizing with others’ hurts, or praying for someone in need.
2) Sinful Thoughts. Addressing toxic and sinful thoughts when they enter the mind does wonders in keeping us from harmful and destructive behavior.
3) Developing Mastery. Paying close attention to fundamentals that may seem insignificant and boring is essential to mastering a technique, whether you are shooting a basketball, playing a musical instrument, or learning a skill.
4) Maintaining Good Health. Paying attention to seemingly trivial symptoms is essential to maintaining good health and addressing health concerns early.
Jesus, speaking in Luke 16:10, shared a principle on the importance of small things.
“He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.”
Remember, just because a thought, a word, or an action seems small does not mean it is insignificant. So, pay attention to the small things that can and will have a big impact.