Little Battles

Sometimes we think that little things are not very important. BOTECHIA was one of the winners of the Tour de France in the first half of the twentieth century, and a few years later he died, while still a young man.

He was found dead on the road and, for many years, no-one knew what had caused his death. Did he fall? Was he murdered? Some years later a farmer confessed to having killed a stranger with a rock because he had stolen some fruit from his orchard. This stranger was Botechia; in spite of his fame and wealth, he enjoyed stealing fruit.

Several times we have spoken about the small details of life, the things that don't seem to be of much importance. It's interesting that we are able to be faithful in the big things, and later fall over some foolish little thing.

We think we have done our part if we don't steal, commit adultery, kill anyone, blaspheme, etc... yet we may tell "little white lies" if it's in our best interest, look with lust at someone of the opposite sex who is not our own husband or wife, or ruin someone's life by speaking evil of him, and we don't obey what God says.

We do these things all the time. Perhaps we say we don't steal, but...what about the little things we collect that are not ours? We say we are honest, but...what about the little lies, the "merciful" lies? I assure you that this day's study might become very dangerous if we begin speaking about pride, envy, jealousy, complaining, vanity, indifference towards evil, superstition, mistrust, misunderstandings, "unimportant" resentments, and an unending list of little things that destroy us within and destroy our relationship with others, as well as being against the will of God.

In the text we read today, God asks a very direct question. How long? Although we won't lose the war, how long are we going to live without victory because of hundreds of different "little battles"? How long are we going to deceive ourselves?

We should fight to win all the battles, not only the big ones, but the little ones too. God has promised us the victory whenever we fight evil. There are no big or small enemies that can stand against us. God will beat them all.

Are we going to live a defeated life because of all those little unimportant enemies?