Noticing the details...

About a week ago, I was encouraged by an email from a professor and wanted to share the story he told...

There was once a sculptor in Greece named Phidias. Although he was a heathen, he had a great deal of integrity. In fact, he had self-respect. Phidias was commissioned around 440 B.C. to create the sculptures that stood upon the roof of the Parthenon in Athens.

When it came for the city fathers to pay Phidias for his work, they balked at the price. They felt that Phidias had done too much work on the statues, charging them for carving details on the backsides of the statues that could not be seen from below. Why should they pay for detail that no one would ever see?

Phidias' response to the city fathers was to tell them that they were wrong. For although humans could not see the exquisite details from the street below, "the gods could."

This was a good reminder for me, because I often wonder about details that no one really sees. Like why do I need to go to every class... other people miss all the time... what's the big deal? Why do I need A's in all my classes if I can pass and graduate? Why be the one person who's always on time and reliable? Etc. etc.

I loved the reminder that God sees the details. It's so easy to work and just get by, but God deserves more than that. Doesn't he deserve my best and not just what's left over? Like it or not, every decision I make builds on my character. Other people may not notice those details in my life, but God (the one who matters) sure does!