When I am stuck in LA traffic, especially in the mornings, I tune my radio to the news station (NPR) just to stay informed about what’s happening in the world.
Yesterday’s news - aside from the usual stories about Trump, Musk, DOGE, Putin, or Zelensky - highlighted an unusual incident from a small town near Long Island, NY.
The story dates back to December 2023 when a $25 Amazon gift card, intended for an occupational therapist, went missing from a local school’s mailroom. The school principal was accused of taking the card, leading to a disciplinary trial that resulted in over 1,400 pages of testimony and legal fees exceeding $25,000. This seemingly trivial event has deeply divided the small community - what Shakespeare might call “much ado about nothing.”
In this chaotic world, countless distractions pull us away from what truly matters. We get sidetracked by random comments, gossip, unverified news, fashion trends, social influence, peer pressure, comparison culture, internet debates, viral controversies, consumerism, and the constant pursuit of validation, allowing superficiality to shift our focus from what is genuinely valuable in life.
While the smallest things can sometimes be the biggest, we must not lose sight of the bigger picture or forget to set our priorities straight. The Bible teaches us, “Set your mind on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” (Colossians 3:2)
Therefore, let us focus on everlasting values - love, respect, human dignity, peace, hope, benevolence, compassion, forgiveness, faith, and salvation - values that outlast political discourse, family feuds, material wealth, conflicts, pettiness, and every transient concern. Otherwise, the biggest things in life may tragically become the smallest.
Dear Lord,
You taught us to pray Your prayer - the Lord’s Prayer -
where, among countless human needs and wants,
we ask for the most essential: our daily bread.
May our hunger be satisfied by the daily bread You provide,
so that our hearts are not tempted to desire more than we need.
Deliver us from evil and have mercy on us. Amen.
