It's a Little Thing, But a Big Thing

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Those who know me, know that I am a frequent flosser.  As a teacher, my students knew that after lunch, I couldn’t teach until I flossed.  I floss multiple times per day.  I keep dental floss in the cup holder in my car, I carry floss in my purse, there is floss on my desk at work.   There is floss both on my night stand and in the drawer.  Let’s not forget the floss in the bathroom and in the kitchen. A few weeks ago I had a dental procedure and thought I should give the healing process a day or two before I resumed flossing.  Somehow, with the busyness of life, one or two days quickly became fourteen or fifteen days.  On Thursday, I picked up the floss for the first time in a while. I could not believe the stench.  My mom would say, “it stunk to high heaven!”  It was repulsive.  I had to go brush my teeth just to get rid of the odors I had unleashed.  (Keep reading, I promise the gross part is over.)

I was thinking about it, and I couldn’t believe how bad I had let my dental hygiene become, in less than a month!  I never stopped brushing,  I just stopped flossing--flossing is extra, right? I have a tendency to use the fact that I have so much going on in my life as an excuse for not doing some of the small things, from time to time.   This experience made me realize that flossing is not one of those small things I can neglect. It also made me think about other “small” things I might neglect and how I may need to rethink my priorities.

Prayer, reading the Bible and meditating on God’s word are things we should do daily, too, but do we?  I don’t think I ever skip a day of prayer, but there are some days when I don’t read God’s Word.  What is my heart like when I neglect the Word?  I bet it stinks!  What atrocities grow in our hearts when we are not in the Word?  Fear.  Anger.  Hate.  Guilt.  Blame.  Insecurity.  Pride.  All of those things, especially that last one, stink!   We must rid our hearts of these things on a daily basis, and we do this by reading God’s Word, meditating on it, and through prayer.  Brushing, may keep your breath fresh, but it doesn’t cleanse the in-between spaces!  Prayer may keep your walk somewhat on the path, but it doesn’t allow us to see all that the Lord has in His plans for our life.  Sometimes we pray about our own plans, but it is through Scripture that we learn His plans.

 ~Hebrews 4:12
“For the word of God quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

 ~Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
 
~Matthew 22:29
But Jesus answered them, “You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God.

~Joshua 1:8
“This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth; but you shall meditate therein day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall have good success.

~2 Timothy 3:16-17
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

~Romans 10:17
“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”

~1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
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​Kim