One of England's greatest iconic figures has recently been resurrected on the silver screen by Guy Ritchie and portrayed by Robert Downey Jr. I thought that this would be a good time, perhaps, to start reading a rather prodigious collection of Sherlock Holmes short stories that my mother-in-law gave to me for Christmas last year.
Sherlock has quite the reputation for his analytical and insightful acumen that seems to mystify all those who engage him. Dr. Watson never ceases to be amazed at this agent of justice's ability to see what others cannot see, to hear what others cannot hear, and know all the while beyond a shadow of a doubt.
In 'Scandal In Bohemia', Holmes narrows down Watson's inability to attain Olympian heights of investigation.
"You see, but you do not observe. The distinction is clear. For example,you have frequently seen the steps which lead up from the hall to this room."
"Frequently."
"How often?"
"Well, some hundreds of times."
"Then how many are there?"
"How many! I don't know."
"Quite so! You have not observed. And yet you have seen. That is just my point. Now,I know that there are seventeen steps, because I have both seen and observed."
To observe is to give careful consideration and attention to detail. A lack of observation is what lands most people in hot water. Either they have not been taught to observe (ignorance), or they just don't care (rebellion). It is the difference between a foolish man and a wise man.
To see what others do not see, to hear what others do not hear, to do what others do not do. This is the objective.
Have you given careful consideration to the life and claims of Jesus Christ or are you like the ones that Christ spoke of in Matthew 13:15? "For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them."
Do you just see God's Word when you read it, or do you meticulously connect the dots, suck the marrow from the bone, so to speak? Isaiah 28:9&10 says, Whom shall He teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? Them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little.
Are you observing all the things that the Lord has commanded us or are you teaching others that living life at the level of mediocrity is worth failing relationships and a lack of fulfillment. Psalms 107:43 says, Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the Lord.
Men, are you willing to demonstrate love to your wife by attending to the details the are so important to her, or is that just for sissies? Wives, are you willing to uncover the way men really think and perhaps compromise you presuppositions, or does he just need to get with the program?
Parents, are you learning everything about your children that you can and actively engaging them one on one so that they know that you are amazingly in tune with them? Or do you busy them so much with other things and other people that the burden of responsibility for raising them has been dispersed enough to free you from all the undesirable details? Do your children observe that their parents believe that a marriage is worth fighting for?
Dad, If details aren't important then listen to this!
The death of a parent is less devastating to a child than divorce.
40% of children are being raised without a father.
A child in a female-headed home is 10 times more likely to be beaten or murdered.
An estimated 39 million survivors of childhood sex abuse exist in America today.
1 in 4 girls & 1 in 6 boys are sexually abused before the age of 18.
Evidence is not always obvious.
30% of victims never disclose the experience to anyone.
Most disclosures occur accidentally.
Christians, do you ever look carefully at others and question to yourself the eternal destination of that individual or are they simply in your way, or worse yet, an object of lust which so easily besets us?
May Christ say of every one of us, "But blessed (happy) are your eyes for they see: and your ears for they hear.
Our prayer ought to be that we will see what cannot be seen, hear what cannot be heard, and do what cannot be done!
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