“Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other. None of this going off and doing your own thing. And cultivate thankfulness. Let the Word of Christ—the Message—have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God! Let every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.” (Colossians 3:16-17 The Message Bible)
In elementary school, you had to pay attention to details when working on your project. If not, your grade was, let’s say, “sub-par.” When following a pattern in Home Economics or Tailoring, as you sewed together your clothing item, you had to follow the pattern provided to you, and if you did not; if you did not pay attention to details, you got a low grade, or perhaps you even got the lowest grade possible. When you were given a chore to do at home, you listened to every detail given to you by your mom or dad. If you did not pay attention to detail, to the point that you didn’t meet your parent’s expectations, you got a stern look and not a smile or even a stay inside punishment. As adults, paying attention to details is important too. Remember the furniture item you ordered online. Recall how it came with detailed instructions. Thinking you could do it alone, you skipped some of the detailed instructions, thinking you could figure it out without the detailed instructions. Yet, because you did not pay attention to details, your furniture item was wobbly, and you wondered why you had so many unused parts after you had completed the “assembly.”
Here is another one. You are on your way to the store and your spouse or someone else in the house asks you to pick up three things, precisely described by size, price, color, and brand. You just hear the name of the item, as opposed to paying attention to details. Consequently, you got the wrong item and might have even heard these words, “I’ll do it myself next time.” There are many examples. Come on! You know you have your own stories about when you did not pay attention to details. I’m sure you do. Will we ever learn that we need to pay attention to details?
In Colossians, Chapter 3, verses 1-17, the Apostle Paul writes, under the inspiration of God, the characteristics of our calling. I have only used a couple of verses for our opening Scripture, but when you have time, read the whole passage. The point I want to make is that all of us need to upgrade our performance level to some degree when it comes to paying attention to every detail of the word of Christ we hear, letting His words be manifested in our life, wherever we are and whatever we are doing. We need to do it in the name of the Master, Jesus, not complaining, but thanking God as the last verse says above.
Think of it this way. You represent the church. As I stated to the Sunday School class at our last session, as individuals, to others we are their introduction to church. Don’t take any chances and don’t disregard you responsibility for representing Christ. Think of your interactions with all people as you may just be the only “church” they will see on any given day. You may want to contend with what I just said, but remember, we are many members, but one body. And as a member of the local church, and the universal church, we must be sure to pay attention to every detail to ensure that others see the Christ in us, see the change in us, see the “better” in us, or see the more excellent way in us. Paying attention to details will help bring the lost to the point of being found, the blind to where they have sight, and there is the great possibility that strayed away saints will surrender and come back to safety , in the hands of Jesus, and present in the assembly of the saints at your church, or the church they abandoned.
I hope I have written enough, but if you are not convinced, look at the similitudes in Matthew 5:13-14 about believers being the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Look what Jesus has to say about loving one another in John 13:35. If that is still not enough, look at the description of love in I Corinthians 13:4-8. And if you still, for some unknown reason, need more convincing, look at the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20. And as you do some unplanned, but not to be deemed as unnecessary Bible study, pay attention to the details. For if we don’t pay attention to the details, we will not recruit or retain individuals as part of the kingdom of God. One more admonishment, a repetitive one: “Pay attention to the details.” Follow the instructions that come from the word of God. Have a fantastic, faith-filled Friday! Love you! Be blessed!
“But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God’s instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for you—from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted. (I Peter 2:9-12 The Message Bible)
Still committed to the climb,
Mark L. King