How often do we miss the little things? How often is our focus on something else when a small detail alludes our attention? What are we missing when we miss the minor detail? Are we missing something significant? What if we were to pay close attention? Would our lives become richer?
Missing the little can make all the difference in how we perceive something. Our perspective can be out of whack. We think we know something when we don’t really understand. It is often the little things missed that cause us to misunderstand someone’s reaction or how they feel.
Read today’s passage. It sounds insignificant. It seems to be a side note to Jesus’s travels. We may think, “So what?” Pay close attention. Jesus enters Jericho. First, remember Jericho is the city around which Joshua led the Israelites and the walls came down miraculously. It is not an insignificant city in Jewish lore.
Second, it says Jesus was passing through it. He is likely walking through on the main road. There would have been many travelers on this road. Yet, Jesus was recognized among the throngs of people on the road. He might have passed unnoticed. But someone saw Him and knew who He was. Word spread quickly.
Without noticing the small things, we often miss significant things. I know I have missed the underlying feelings of people. I have not noticed the gracious actions of others. The beauty of wildflowers growing along the highway have been unseen by me. I believe we miss many of the small things. Why? We are too focused on ourselves and our experiences to see what is going on all around us.
Zacchaeus didn’t miss Jesus passing through Jericho. He heard and had to see. Are we hearing and need to see Jesus in our lives? We might be missing Him by not fully seeing others. He may pass right by us without our noticing. Perhaps we should pay closer attention to the small things, notice what is going on around us, and not just the negative things, but the positive things.
I pray we all choose to open our eyes to see the small things. I pray we notice the good things all around us. I pray each one of us seeks to hear and see Jesus in our everyday lives. Open your eyes. Open your ears. Notice the small things. Hear Jesus. See Jesus. He is active every day.
Luke 19:1 He entered Jericho and was passing through it.
Marty Pressey 