DON’T JUST SPOT THE DETAIL

Tuesday: 28th August, 2018

Reference text: Matthew 23:23-26

Matthew 23:24 Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.

‘A gnat is an insect about the size of a mosquito, not more than a few millimetres in length, while a fully grown camel stands at about 1.85 metres tall at the shoulder’. After providing this information to anyone, hear this question from them: ‘is a camel easier to swallow than a gnat’, will sound pretty absurd given the context after which the question was posed.

However, in today’s Gospel, the Scribes and Pharisees are represented as people who have the willingness to strain a gnat, but will readily swallow a camel. If we look at this image in light of the situations we encounter, then we ought to see a message being put across. As much as there is the call to be vigilant in paying attention to even the smallest of details, consequently, we often glance over and ignore some of the rather obvious and glaring issues that we face.

We tend to take a stance that: ‘swallowing a gnat could have bigger consequences than swallowing a camel’. Our criteria for making judgement on such matters seem biased and skewed as Jesus mentions because ‘weightier matters have been ignored'(vs 23). My dear, let’s not have the mindset that an eye for detail, is our licence to ignore obvious issues because it isn’t. Deal with both before they get out of hand.

Remember # if you can strain a gnat, you should spot a camel.

#sly