Tell me what you see …

Chasing the clues of a case led Sherlock Holmes and his sidekick, Dr. Watson, out of town.

The trip was long enough the pair wouldn’t reach their final destination until the next day. So, that night they pitched a tent and then turned in for the evening.

In the middle of the night, the quirky Holmes suddenly awoke Watson and demanded of him, “Watson, tell me what you see!”

“Well,” the doctor began, “I see countless stars. Among those stars are planets, and it could be among those planets some would be like Earth. So, it is possible that other life …”

“No, no, no my dear Watson!” Holmes interrupted, “You can see the stars because someone stole our tent!”

Sometimes we may sound so brilliant with our guesses while, all along, missing what is right in front of us.

It’s easy to focus on what we don’t know, or what we don’t have, and miss what is immediately in front of us. Jesus encouraged us to think differently.

“Has anyone by fussing in front of the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch? All this time and money wasted on fashion — do you think it makes that much difference? Instead of looking at the fashions, walk out into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They never primp or shop, but have you ever seen color and design quite like it? The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them. If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers — most of which are never even seen — don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes,” Matthew 6:27-34 (The Message).

What has God put in front of you today that works? That’s good? That’s beautiful? Have you noticed?

Scotty