Don't Miss the Bigger Picture
By Dean Collins
If you are the leader of a business, a church, or a community, it is important not to get lost in the details. Don’t misunderstand—the little things matter. The particulars matter. The details matter. But they are not the story of what you are trying to accomplish. As a leader, your primary responsibility is to cast the vision and keep people focused on the mission.
At times, however, you do have to pay attention to the little things because they can influence the success of the mission.
Years ago, while raising funds to help open the new campus of Point University, I asked a prominent CEO for what I hoped would be a significant financial gift. He listened carefully, expressed his enthusiasm for our mission, and I became convinced he was about to make a generous commitment.
Instead, he smiled and said, “I’m going to donate trees to plant around your campus.”
Trees?
He explained that one of the most important lessons he had learned in business was the value of curb appeal. Then he insisted that I take a field trip with him to learn how to care for those trees. Those trees eventually grew to provide beauty and shade across several areas of campus. My friend later helped us financially as well, but he also taught me that first impressions matter.
Still, as important as curb appeal was, it was never the mission of Point University. It simply supported the mission.
When we read Scripture, we face a similar challenge. The details matter, but if we’re not careful, we can become so fascinated with them that we miss the grand narrative God is telling. Few books tempt us to do that more than Daniel.
Daniel begins with unforgettable stories of faith and courage. Four young Jewish exiles refuse the king’s food because it would violate God’s commands, and God honors their faithfulness. Then come the familiar accounts of Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, and Darius. Though each ruler believed power rested in human hands, every one of them eventually learned the same lesson: kingdoms rise and fall, but God alone rules forever.
The final chapters of Daniel are where many readers get lost. Daniel, the great interpreter of dreams, receives visions that even he struggles to understand. There are terrifying beasts, mysterious kingdoms, the Ancient of Days, and the Son of Man. Entire libraries have been written trying to identify every symbol and every kingdom.
Those studies can be helpful, but they should never cause us to miss Daniel’s central message.
God is still on His throne.
Human kingdoms come and go. Evil may appear powerful for a season, but it is never ultimate. The Ancient of Days reigns, and the Son of Man receives an everlasting kingdom that will never be destroyed. History is not random. God is accomplishing His purpose of redeeming and restoring a broken world through Jesus Christ.
That grand story gives meaning to all the smaller details.
So enjoy every chapter of Daniel. Notice how God honors faithfulness, moral courage, humility, and perseverance. Wrestle with the difficult passages if you wish, but don’t lose sight of the bigger picture.
The same Jesus who will one day destroy every beastly kingdom is already at work destroying the “beast” within us. Through the power of His Spirit, He is making us more like Himself every day.
Father, thank You for Your Word. Thank You for reminding us that You are writing a story of redemption that will one day be completed when Christ returns. Help us not to become distracted by the details and lose sight of Your greater purpose. May our lives reflect Your justice, mercy, humility, and love as we faithfully follow You. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Your Time with God’s Word
Daniel 7:9-10, 13-18 ESV
Photo by Pexels
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