13 Apr 2016

Majoring in Minors

“How often are there blemishes in our life, clutter, spots and specks of debris that we leave unattended?”

One of the major characteristics I know my mother passed along to me was my meticulous nature.  In my adulthood I learned to appreciate my mother’s “white glove inspection” of every chore I was assigned.  Mind you I said, “in my adulthood”.  When I was younger it was beyond annoying and frustrating to say the least.  But looking back on that training I now treasure the values she instilled in me which are more valuable than words can express.  However on the flip side of that coin, I can easily take things to the extreme.  Fingerprints on glass, dust, debris and crumbs on floors, counters, undetected odors, clutter, etc. can easily push me to the edge if I let them!  It can be so bad that I’ll pick things up in someone else’s house if I don’t catch myself. 

If I see something on the floor in church during worship service I literally have to restrain myself from getting up to pick it up.  My husband stopped delivery service of the newspaper because if the paper was not read by evening, out to the trash bin it went!!  That can be commendable on one hand, but on the other hand it can make for a very unbalanced individual if equal focus is not placed on the heart and mind that governs our actions from the inside.

I am a strong proponent of doing self-assessments on a frequent basis.  Opinions of others are useful, but some things we need to see and recognize on our own.  It’s even better when we open ourselves up to the Lord for His inspection.  In so doing we have to be ready to accept what He reveals.  One of my favorite scriptures is Psalm 139: 23, which says “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:” What I have determined is that it is just as important if not more so to be as meticulous about my spiritual life and relationship with God and others as it is about myself my home, and my environment.  When you seriously think about it we can take nothing here on earth with us no matter how precious or costly it is; and everything is already perfect in heaven just waiting for our arrival!  So there will be nothing for us to tidy up, regulate, or organize once we leave here.

How often are there blemishes in our life, clutter, spots and specks of debris that we leave unattended?  Even worse they often go unnoticed because we’re too busy looking at other things or other people!  We’ll be much better off when we reverse the direction of that inspection spotlight and turn it inward.  It usually isn’t something we want to see and we would rather ignore it.  When we do that we can rest assured the situation will not get better for lack of attention!

I cannot tell you that I will ever get to the point that fingerprints, dust, and clutter will not affect me.   However, I can tell you I am striving for that same level of sensitivity and awareness on the inside as well as on the outside.

Source: New feed