When I speak of proverbs, I usually think of Solomon as the author; however, there is an old German proverb that offers some wisdom in the area of self-discipline and priorities: Whoever does not respect the penny is not worthy of the dollar.
The essence of this quote seems to be: If you neglect or ignore the small things, you can’t be trusted with larger things. Neglect in one area of your life might be inconsequential if it happens once; however, when a pattern forms, it becomes a habit, and habits are the routines and practices that either confine you or refine you.
Most of us are like a stringed instrument, and we need to be re-tuned from time to time. The word tune has several meanings:
- As a noun it means, “a succession of musical sounds forming an air or melody, with or without the harmony accompanying it; a musical setting in four-part harmony; the state of being in the proper pitch.”
- As a verb it means, “to give forth a musical sound; to be in harmony or accord; become responsive.”
It only takes a small incremental turn of the peg to make a big change in the tightness of a string and a dramatic change in the sound of a violin or guitar. The same is true with your life—small changes can make a big difference.
To make these changes, I suggest that you:
- Learn from Santa Claus: Make a list and check it twice. Which of your habits are being naughty or nice to you, and which one help you live in harmony with God?
- Focus: When you tune a violin or guitar, you don’t turn all of the pegs and adjust all of the strings at once. You focus on one at a time. Instead of trying to develop several new habits and make multiple changes, make them one at a time.
- Be Discriminate: Eliminate the non-essentials and practice the essentials. The one sucks the blood of life out of you while the other revitalizes you.
- Learn from the 7 Dwarfs: Whistle while you work, and find some joy in what you’re doing. Be Happy, not Grumpy!
- Circle the Wagons: When I was a kid, one of my favorite TV shows was Wagon Train. At the end of the day, Ward Bond would instruct the westward bound settlers to “Circle the wagons.” This provided a circle of safety for the pioneers. Ward Bond would tell you to “Circle yourself with good friends and people of character.”
- Learn from David: In the morning, O LORD, You will hear my voice; In the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch (Psalm 5:3).” Meet with God daily to pray, and plan for success.
The power of small acts is found in the words of Samuel Smiles:
Sow a thought, and you reap an act;
Sow an act, and you reap a habit;
Sow a habit, and you reap a character;
Sow a character, and you reap a destiny.”
~Samuel Smiles
When was the last time you paused and counted the many blessing that you have? Have you taken the time to heed the old hymn and “name them one by one?” These are the questions I asked myself after reading Psalm 68:19: “Blessed be the Lord, Who daily loads us with benefits, The God of our salvation!”
Did you awaken this morning feeling more down-and-out and less up-and-at-it? If so, you might identify with the “woe-is-me” mentality of Jeremiah who said:
One of the great men of the Bible was David, and he reigned as King for over thirty years. His path to the throne wasn’t an easy journey, and his years as a monarch were often times of great difficulty.
One among the many things that I lack is the ability to sing well. This is why I like the words of Psalm 96; it encourages us to sing a “
Each year at this time, my interests are directed towards my garden. I visit it often to watch the yellow flowers become tomatoes. I also add a little fertilizer to stimulate the growth of the plants, and put a fence up around the garden to keep the cats out; I don’t like their soul-enriching methodology.
Can you answer yes to these four questions?
When I reached for a book on a shelf of my library, I grabbed the wrong book. I have to admit, I find myself doing this more frequently since I started wearing trifocals.
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