Little Things Vary in Importance

Little things amplify their size with the disturbances they cause. In the middle of the 19^th century, an English explorer walked the red dirt of Central Africa. He investigated waterways, hoping to find the headwaters of the Nile. He hoped the discovery of the great river’s source would help him address the evils of the slave trade. But the sight of smoke from a thousand villages drove David Livingston where no missionary had ever set foot. He was a big-picture person who refused to allow minor distractions to steer him off course. 

Little Things Are a Nuisance

A visitor stood in Livingston’s presence, overwhelmed by his accomplishments. Perhaps the unnamed person knew about the time a lion broke the adventurer’s arm. He asked the trailblazing missionary if the lions and elephants threatened him. Livingston responded, “No, but the chiggers nearly drive me crazy.” 

Anyone who has been on the chigger buffet line knows the irritation those parasitic larvae instigate when they attempt to dine on our skin cells. Ankles and the tight places around our waists present irresistible dining temptations to the tiny creatures. Soon, red, swollen, itchy bumps dot the landscape of our bodies. And we scratch like flea-bitten dogs for a couple of days. Then, the irritation goes away, and we are okay unless we wander through the grass again.

Define Your Purpose

The ways we overcome little things lead to greater challenges. As long as Livingston was traveling, unwelcome chiggers accompanied him. Every 24 to 48 hours, one set of bumps would disappear, and others would arise. So, it is with the disruptions caused by little things. We address one set. They may go away—no need to worry. But then others arrive to take their place shouldn’t surprise us. If we become fixated on our chiggers, we stand to miss life’s greater opportunities. However, if our goal is large enough, it will pull us forward.

Focus Your Attention

Wisdom lies in knowing what to address and how much of our attention to give it. Livingston knew when to scratch and when to ignore the itching. He never let the chiggers take the place of his greater purposes. Exaggerating minutia allows daily problems to drain our energy and swallow our resources. Listen to your conversation. If your daily focus is on little things that make no actual difference, your problem is that you don’t have a large enough challenge. Look at the big picture of your life and live toward purposes worthy of your life investment.

When David Livingston died, Africans buried his heart in Africa. Since the Dean of Westminster Abbey offered burial there, the Africans overcame their superstition about touching a dead body. They made a months-long journey to the coast so his body could be shipped to England. Why Westminster Abbey? Because Livingstone’s vision for Christianity, Commerce, and Civilization influenced all of the United Kingdom.