I recently posted a quote by Pastor Rick Warren on my Facebook page. This was the quote. “The last thing many believers need today is to go to another Bible study. They already know far more than they are putting into practice. What they need are serving experiences in which they can exercise their spiritual muscles.” Rick Warren
I also added, “I agree”.

For a long time, I have been convicted about this very thing. It is one of the reasons I wrote my book, Naked, Embarrassed, and Exposed? Then Put Something On. I took simple truths from the Bible and gave practical ways to live them out. I needed to learn how to put on the character of Jesus, not just know about it. I thought that others might need that too. So I wrote down the lessons I was learning.

I am glad I wrote it because I need to reread my own book! During the past few days, I have again been reminded that I often fail to obey in the simple things. I have also thought about how important those little things can be. If we feel that only the big, important projects of life are worthy of our attention and neglect the simple stuff, life can become disastrous. Let me give an illustration.

I own a home. I could skip the simple and seemingly mundane and invest all my time and effort on major renovations and projects. I could plant a great garden. I could paint the exterior a great new color. I might even choose to remodel the kitchen. But if I do all of that and neglect the simple things my work will be in vain. I must take out the trash, wash the dirty dishes, and scrub toilets. If I neglect the simple, I will have problems with the smell, pests, and eventually it will drive me from my home.

Have you spiritually neglected the simple and focused only on the big projects? Are things starting to smell? Do you have pests bugging you? Are you feeling driven from the calm, comfort and peace of your earlier Christian life? I know when I see these things in my life, I need to get back to taking care of the simple things.

I have been working on some bigger projects lately. I have been working on a couple of new books. I have been keeping up with my responsibilities in SISTER ministries. The problem is that I have been neglecting the simple stuff and it is starting to stink.

So I once again I come back to this verse, “So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin” (James 4:17, ESV).