Details matter. In business, in our stories, details make a difference. I was reminded recently that whatever one might think, the details of life will ultimately take top billing. Disease can trump the will to live. Tragedies overwhelm the strong just as easily as the weak. Actions taken when nobody is looking can change the course of a lifetime.
The big pictures that stay with me are because of the nuances that made them different.
The obvious place where this plays out in my life is in food. For some, every hawker stand offers a variation on the same food. On the surface, it looks like it is all the same. One bite reminds me that chefs, secret recipes, and care all matter! Even as I post pictures of different meals, I wish I could figure out a way to capture the difference I find in the chili sauce. Here, it the sauce has a natural smoked flavor to it that makes it unique. The way that the dishes are prepared varies from the competition. When I combine it with the smile and twinkle in the eyes when I arrive, I know I am being treated to something very special. It all starts in the details.
In the chaos of the day, especially when one is overwhelmed, it is easy to lose sight of the details. I often wish others would not pay attention. I can feel a fear within me growing when I realize that many, especially God, look at everything. Divinity is interested in the details of your life and mine. Good, bad, and sideways matter. I find myself remembering how “he tests the good and the bad alike; if anyone cheats, God’s outraged.” (Psalm 11.5) I know I fail, so Divine frustration with me is on overload.
Then I remember the details. They matter. Yes, God hates evil. God also cares about the nuances of life. One nuance is that you and I are part of the family. The other is compassion. God has unlimited amounts reserved for us. To God, we matter.
