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A Visit with
Eli
Trivialities
Many things that we designate as important have no real
importance at all. A few years ago a teacher told of an instance
when this lesson came home in a unique way. The teacher's son Larry
was 13 years old, and he had earnestly begun watching for license
plates to see if he could spot all 50 on the family's vacation trip
to Mexico. On the way to Mexico, he recorded plates from 24 states,
and while in Mexico he saw four more
To further the possibility of Larry's spotting all 50
states, on the return trip the family went through Yellowstone
National Park--a paradise for license plate collectors. After just
one day in Yellowstone, Larry needed only one more license to
complete his task--Delaware. The rest of the family was awe-struck
over the magnificent sights in Yellowstone, but Larry didn't even
glance at them. He spent his time running up and down the parking
areas to find a license plate from Delaware.
One would have thought his entire life depended on
finding a Delaware license tag. After leaving the park, the family
stopped to eat, and Larry begged his parents to let him look for
license plates; the goal to record all 50 states was more important
than eating. His parents refused the request, and Larry's search
was stalled for over an hour. After the family finished eating,
Larry was missing for a few minutes. Finally, he rushed across the
parking lot. "Come here! You won't believe it if you don't see
it!" The family rushed to keep up with Larry, and there it was, a
blue Volkswagen bus with Delaware license tags.
Larry was in
Yellowstone Park, but he never experienced the Park. How many times
do we "major in minors" when it comes to spiritual matters? When
the focus should be on Jesus Christ, many Christians spend their
time looking for license tags. Jesus had the same problem with His
children as recorded in Matthew 23:23-24 “Woe to you, teachers
of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your
spices-- mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more
important matters of the law-- justice, mercy and faithfulness. You
should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.
You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.”
Do we at times miss experiencing Jesus because of wrestling over
petty issues that have zero to do with salvation? |
