Should We Get Rid of Small-Picture Thinking?

There’s a piece of art near the footbridge in Farewell Bend Park that isn’t exactly what you would call beautiful. Old hinges, cogs, screwdrivers. Parts of plows. Gear shift knobs.

But take a step back and see what you see.

The big-picture view is this amazing creation of two horses pulling a log, depicting the earlier history of Bend as a logging town. This rather large piece of artwork is crafted from parts that no longer function as originally intended. Rusted axe blades and chain saws. A sewing machine. Worn-out golf clubs and shovels. Bent utensils. Manure forks.

Every part and piece necessary to the overall creation.

First, something about heat

I’m not familiar with the welding process that takes all that debris and fuses it together. But I do know it involves heat. Painfully high heat. To create beauty from discarded junk.

I have just one thing to say to that: Don’t be afraid of the heat.

Be afraid of ‘no heat.’

Because ‘no heat’ can’t transform our lives into something of beauty. 

And now, perspective

As humans, we tend toward only seeing what’s in front of us—the smaller picture centered around the daily grind of ordinariness. You wanted to do greater things than fold laundry, carpool kids, and make the grocery budget stretch.

You had larger hopes and dreams than this commute, this job, this not getting the promotion.  

But what if we took a step back from the daily grind, from the lost hopes and dreams?

What is the larger picture of creating a functional home and caring for our families? From my experience, it’s the pleasure of having kids and kids-in-law who are now my adult friends. It’s the fun of smiling to myself as my kids now are the ones dealing with dirty laundry, bills, and carpooling.

What’s the bigger picture of showing up for work on time, of doing your job wholeheartedly as unto the Lord—whether changing diapers, changing spark plugs, or changing lanes? Maybe it’s role-modeling faithfulness to our kids. Maybe it’s providing stability for them because of our commitment.

Yes, the laundry needs to be folded. The pile of papers on your desk, the line of cars in your shop, the number of emails on your business computer—these need to be tended to.

But as we’re dealing with the ordinary, everyday, sometimes ‘heated’ details of making a business/marriage/family/ministry operate at full capacity, why not take a step back and dare to imagine what possible beauty can come from the daily acts of faithfulness. 

The Apostle Paul had this to say to the believers in ancient Colossae:

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”
– Colossians 3:23-24

There is a larger story for you to tell here. It’s about showing up. It’s about encouraging your children, your co-workers, your clients. About being faithful in the smaller picture while occasionally pausing to recognize that the little details can make for a beautiful life.