How often I hear, or even say, “Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff,” usually with the tagline, “And it’s all small stuff.” I agree heartily with that, with one exception—that little word “all.” I think I would substitute for “all” the word “mostly.”
It’s mostly small stuff that we fuss over. Things like traffic, lines in stores, computers that don’t work (ugh!), dogs that bark in the middle of the night while we are trying to sleep. Yep, it’s mostly small stuff that riles us.
Even my recent surgery was “small stuff.” It wasn’t surgery for anything life threatening; it was life-enhancing surgery meant to fix a problem in my body so that I could have a more comfortable time in the years I have left. I can walk easier, stand to minister with less discomfort, etc. Small stuff compared to what many others are going through now.
The Apostle Peter opens his second letter with a couple of great reminders about life. First, he tells us to make every effort to add to faith such things as goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and finally love. But then he goes on, “My brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” [2 Peter 1:10-11 NIV]
We are to eagerly make our calling and election sure. Doing that will enable us to stand during the rough places of life and guarantee that we will receive a “rich welcome” into the kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. On the other hand, not doing that will guarantee a far different “welcome” and eternal dwelling.
Making our calling and election sure is not small stuff … it is the biggest “stuff” of all to take care of in this life. But we don’t have to “sweat” it … Jesus already did the work; we just need to make sure we’ve done our part by submitting our lives unto Him. PTL
