day 2314: Close Attention

“I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved.”

Last week I read about this: “A train on the Tokyo-area Metropolitan Intercity Railway Company’s Tsukuba Express line failed to stick to its timetable. The line connects Akihabara in Tokyo with Tsukuba in Ibaraki Prefecture, and on weekday mornings there’s supposed to be a northbound train that leaves Minami Nagareyama Station at 9:44 a.m. However, on November 14, the train instead left at 9:43:40, 20 seconds earlier than it’s supposed to. Before the day was done, the Tsukuba Express management issued an official apology, posted to the company’s website.” Imagine if we were held this closely accountable each and every day in our work?  It might drive us crazy, but for some, not measuring to this level of correctness, drives them nuts!

I’ve been struggling on how help those who have wanted to talk about all of the abuses that we are reading,  hearing and talking about every day.  Some are questioning what is right and what is wrong.  Others, thought they knew the difference but now feel like new lines are being drawn.  And there are others who are ashamed of their past behavior and just want to make it right. Wherever we are today, we can start with paying very close attention to our own actions and also paying close attention to the feeling and needs of others.  One of the signs of abusing power and position is when we stop paying close attention to others and instead think that we have it all figured out and that our way is the way that everyone else will surely appreciate and allow.  Any time we start to think that we, on our own, have it all right, we are getting ready to step into a dangerous place.  God teaches us that in the small things, in the small actions, that we are to live according to His way and God’s law.  If He cares about the smallest of details, then are we not to do the same and pay close attention?  Especially, when our actions are to reflect for others who He is in our life.

Reference: Matthew 5:18 (New Living Translation)

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