Beware of the Little Things Before They Irritate

By Archdeacon Habib Guirgus

Beware of little things, if you can, which appear to be simple and trivial things in its beginning. Be alert and in awe more than your caution of the big sins, for the little ones beget the big ones, as the fire starts with a spark, thus, man reaches perfection gradually, whether in natural or spiritual matters.

The baby grows to be a young one then become of old age, and the plant grows slowly, and the house is not destructed at once but the foundation becomes weak then the beams becomes defected and deformed.  Such is the case with the conscience, becomes terrified from the small things, then gets used to the big sins and then fulfill it without fear.

If you build on the sand, the wind will shake your foundation, and the storms knock down the building to meet its fate.

These little quakes or small habits, which you are not scared of at the beginning, can grow, push you to sin and affect you in ways that are very hard to pluck and leave aside.

These little worms which you are ignoring, if you do not kill it and destroy it, can grow and become poisonous snakes which cause a threat to your life, therefore, fight it while still under your control before it becomes a monster and overcome you.

The ashes might have a little flame of fire, unless you put it off completely, it can be nourished by and become a devastating fire that can cause big damages.

If you ignored the little things and was not cautious, you could be in jeopardy of falling into bigger ones. The little foxes grow to become fierce ones and kill virtue.

The little cub very soon grows to be a wild lion, kill it before it tears you up.

"Catch... the little foxes that spoil the vines" (Song of Solomon 2:15). Destroy all falsification and deviation which appear to be minute at an early stage, such as anger, or small sin, or impure look, these little things at the beginning can be 'just a look', then it turns into an entertainment, then grows into a habit, then grows into defilement and evil, and imprint in heart, mind and thoughts a picture to destroy your conscience and cause you to be impure. Beware and alert, and pluck it out early when it is still 'grass' before it grows into a big tree, making it hard to pull out of the ground!

Do not be careless or slow at any sin, no matter how small it is, otherwise you find in it an aggressive, stubborn master, obliged to follow as a slave chained and despised.

Man pays attention to big sins, and probably thought of plucking it out, or escape from it, or get rid of it fast, but seldom when we see that person paying attention to the small things or even think about removing it or plucking it out, that is why we see him easily falling, and see him in chains slowly but surely, till the small chains become heavy iron chains, impossible to get rid of and destined to destruct.

The ship may sink from a small hole below the deck, as it may sink from a tumultuous wave from a fierce storm. If you left aside your heavy sins, and became free of the burden of sin, be alert from the small defilement and do not belittle it. If your ship went through the sea, between the rocks, and resisted the waves and storms, be very alert and cautious from the little wind, and the weak straw!