Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. – Psalm 62:8 (NRSVUE)
I’ve been having all sorts of trouble with the engine in my car. Since August the oil pressure light has been coming on. Not constantly, but also not consistently enough to see any pattern. At times the check engine light has also come on. I have taken the car to my mechanic several times, with no luck figuring out the root problem. I’ve also taken it to the dealer, with no better results. Finally recently my mechanic said he had one last idea. There is a tiny spring that toggles the light on and off. Maybe the spring is the problem. He replaced it and no further problems. It was never an engine issue, just an issue with a tiny spring that wore out.
It is amazing what difference a small, seemingly insignificant, part can make in running a complex machine. It is a good reminder for us, too, of the many tiny parts of our lives that might seem unimportant but make a significant difference. Perhaps it’s the person whose name you never knew but you wave to everyday as who both walk your dogs down the street. It’s not a deep personal connection but it is a connection. Even more, something like saying “Thank you God for today” whenever you get to the stop sign at the end of your neighborhood might seem insignificant, but what a change it can make in your outlook for the day and how you see all of the trips you make beyond the neighborhood each day. Tiny things do make a difference.