Many of us have heard the phrase, “The devil is in the details,” but is this statement really true?

How often have we thought that everything depends on us, constantly operating in a state of anxiety and stress–only to later think, “How did I get through that?” or, “That didn’t go as bad as I thought it would”?

Everything we attribute to “coincidence” or “luck” is actually God working through ordinary people (sometimes strangers), situations or subtle changes in our day-to-day events.

Yet what do we usually do? If we do notice happy accidents, we pause long enough to say, “huh,” or attribute them to “good karma” and go about our day.

But what if God’s interventions aren’t just relegated to the big things?

What if He is more involved in our everyday lives than we think?

Huh.

“It’s the little things.”

How often do we hear from a disgruntled spouse when asked about his resentment, grumble: “It’s the little things.”

What exactly does that mean?

The “little things” are those mundane daily habits, the small seemingly insignificant actions (or inactions) that we choose (or neglect) to do.

Do we thoughtlessly go about our days living in self-preservation, squeezing out every ounce of delight for ourselves?

If we do, it’s likely we are missing the point of life.

It’s the little things that prepare us for the big happenings we face.

Being intentional about our habits of living nurtures our souls and keeps us at the ready for whatever is thrown our way.

Without these daily opportunities for growth (provided by family and strangers alike) what kind of person would we be? A very unpleasant picture just came to mind.

“Didn’t you notice?”

When a wife puts on brand new earrings and fixes her hair, she looks deflated after her husband doesn’t notice.

When a husband comes home after dealing with obnoxious people all day, he wants to run away if his wife nags him when he walks in the door.

Noticing the details helps to pull us out of our own stuff and keep the bigger things in perspective.

When we become preoccupied with what we think are the important things of life–namely, getting things done or our pleasure-pursuits–then we miss out on the little daily occurrences worth remembering.

And wouldn’t we regret not appreciating these when they no longer there?

Love is in the details

The reality is, love is in the details of our day.

And when we ignore it, we opt out of acknowledging and receiving love.

When we don’t stop and reflect for a few minutes at least once a day, we are unable to even remember those bits of love God gave us in the details:

It was in that hug your child or spouse gave you;

in that magnificent sunrise that spilled light onto the trees, making them glow;

in that person who wished you a good day (and meant it);

in that task you received timely help with that you could not have accomplished alone;

in that sudden realization that your prayers have been answered.

When love is in the details, we don’t have to take on everything ourselves or control everything, because there is an outside force that breaks through–no, is apart of–the mundane in our day.

Ordinary and extraordinary

Christians know that God took on flesh, and came into the world He created, and become one of His creatures to save them from eternal death.

By doing that, God infused the ordinary with the extraordinary, the natural with the supernatural.

Do we stop to think that out of the 33 years of His earthly life, 90% of it was spent with His family and community doing ordinary things?

How extraordinary.

So what does that mean for us?

God loves the ordinary, because He created it. He chooses ordinary people to make a difference in the world. Look at the shepherds in the fields near Bethlehem–they belonged to the lowest rung on the social latter–yet they were greeted by angelic spirits from heaven and were the first people to spread the news of the birth of the Messiah.

God breaks through the ordinary, to show us that, with Him as a Father, we are extraordinary. We are not merely highly evolved animals or slaves to our impulses and desires. God has made us sons and daughters and heirs of heaven, our true home.

And that, my friends, is extraordinary.

Happy New Year!