It’s Often the Smallest Thing
A group in Germany was close to a new Guinness world record, when it all came tumbling down. Literally.
The group of 20 people was attempting to break the record for toppling the most mini-dominoes. These dominoes are about the size of a fingernail and, as such, take a great deal of care to set up in those long lines. Over the course of about two weeks, the group had set up over 600,000 of these tiny dominoes and were very close to their record-breaking attempt.
When a fly landed on one of the dominoes, toppling virtually the entirety of their work. [Source]
A fly!
Can you imagine the frustration? There is no telling how long the group had planned this work, and then they actually were involved in the tedious work of setting up all those little tiles for about two weeks. And it all came crashing down by a tiny fly.
But there is a lesson here for us, too. How often is it the smallest of things begin the biggest of problems?
For David, it was simply staying in his castle when he should have been out on the battlefield with his troops.
For Achan, it was letting the beauty and value of a few spoils of war take hold in his mind.
For the alcoholic, it was just a few drinks while watching the game with his buddies.
For the adulterer, it was just an “innocent” chat on Facebook with an old high school sweetheart.
This principle is why it is so important that we keep a check on those things we may think are little. We need to guard not just against “big” sins, but against those things that lead there.
The Bible instructs, “Keep your heart with all vigilance” (Proverbs 4:23). The key word in that phrase may be the little word “all.” We are not to guard only against a few things that might damage our heart, but against them all.
In fact, that phrase begins a section of verses that I want to share as the conclusion to this short post:
Keep your heart with all vigilance,
for from it flow the springs of life.
Put away from you crooked speech,
and put devious talk far from you.
Let your eyes lok directly forward,
and your gaze be straight before you.
Ponder the path of your feet;
then all your ways will be sure.
Do not swerve to the right or to the left;
turn your foot away from evil. (Proverbs 4:23-27)
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AUTHOR: Adam Faughn
