Magnifying the wrong object

Yesterday was the first day of school for my students and me after the school activity was being suspended because of the smoke/ haze condition in my beloved city, Palembang. The haze is still pretty thick, but it has been tolerable enough for us to have some public activity like school, etc. I am so thankful that actually I can do something useful like teaching. Now, I could appreciate more of being needed somehow and to realize that as simple and humble things that I do God can use it to bless others.

This new week has been such great weak to start brand new enthusiasm and ‘ new restart’ of this term. However, I realize that it would be much better if I can stay in spirit and earnestness of handling everything with care and giving the best for this service. Like St. Paul said, “do as to the Lord.” However, one among so many challenges that has to be defeated is postponing. You know, when the streams of due dates and files to be checked, it would be much more convenient to find excuses so that we might do it later. Like ‘laaaater’. Yet, later we will find out that the workloads doesn’t disappear by its own will rather it got so many siblings. One thing that could be very helpful in this, is doing small good things immediately and say no to postponing. When I am thinking of this, one of reasons (at least based on my personal experience) which makes us want to postpone is the habit of magnifying challenges  or ‘problems’ as if it were gigantic and beyond our reach. What I mean is, we tend to see simple task to look like we have to jump from the cliff. Making Math poster rubrics feels like making 10 articles for famous magazines. Surprisingly, I found that it is actually a virtue to look at problems as small and powerless in the face of our great God.

That thoughts comes up when I read some part in the book of Numbers when Moses sent 12 spies to see how the promised land looked like. While 10 other spies saw their projection of fear and terrifying facts, Caleb and Joshua saw totally different reality. They saw it as they are. They moved by faith and feared not. Such beautiful souls! A soul that makes God and His love first before anything else. As the result, they didn’t fall into the snare of magnifying the wrong objects.

In our responsibility, ministry, works, or relationship do we magnify those challenges and forget that our God is far bigger? When due dates and adversity come at our desk, will we ‘flee’ from it instead of doing it with all our heart? Problems, conflict and sorrows come and go in our lives. But they are just the smaller part of the whole story. God’s story goes on and that is about Ultimate true love toward all. Let His glory shines through our endurance, perseverance, faith and our surrender to Him.

Now, then... When anything comes to us, let us trust the providence of Our Lord. Be willing, take chance to accept responsibility and obedience in various forms: both those which come to us voluntarily and involuntarily. With peace of mind and joy in the heart, let us face the day with whatever it might bring with diligence and love. Do that little good things that our heart tells us tirelessly and persistently. Sure, we cannot make it happen by yourself, we need grace; constant flow of mercy from above.