October 8, 2013

⁹ “And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.    1 Chronicles 28:9

 

"Little things come daily, hourly, within our reach, and they are not less calculated to set forward our growth in holiness, than are the greater occasions which occur but rarely. Moreover, fidelity in trifles, and an earnest seeking to please God in little matters, is a test of real devotion and love. Let your aim be to please our dear Lord perfectly in little things, and to attain a spirit of childlike simplicity and dependence. In proportion as self-love and self-confidence are weakened, and our will bowed to that of God, so will hindrances disappear, the internal troubles and contests which harassed the soul vanish, and it will be filled with peace and tranquility."

Jean Grou (1731-1803)  French Roman Catholic mystic and spiritual writer*

 I love the turn of a good phrase, the perfect blending of two, three or four words.  Substance with brevity.  Complex conciseness.  "Fidelity in trifles."  Therein lies one of the most challenging aspects of the Christian life.

Strip clubs?  Never!  Smoking crystal meth?  Not a temptation.  Under reporting income to the IRS?  Well, they will never know.  Criticizing a spouse?  It is my duty to help her become a better person.  Gossiping about a coworker?  It's just that others really need to know.

Fidelity in trifles.  Obedience in minutiae. As I mulled today's entry over, I realized that perhaps the key to "fidelity in trifles" becomes easier if we realize to God nothing is a trifle.  The Creator of the Universe has numbered the hairs on our heads.  He knows when a sparrow falls from the sky.  

He heals when the hem of His garment is touched.  A simple request for wine at a wedding becomes the catapult for His public ministry.  What may seem insignificant to us, a trifle, may have implications beyond what we can imagine. 

Even if our actions do not have far-reaching effects, our fidelity in trifles is a demonstration of our obedience to Him.  An outward demonstration of our love for Him.  A requirement of our service for Him.

What little things require your obedience today?  Pray that God will impress upon your spirit those trifles which need your fidelity.

*Daily Strength for Daily Needs- February 16
http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/8534/pg8534.html