written by Rusty Knight

To be completely honest, this passage is one of those passages that I’ve read before and thought, “Why is this information important to me?” Why is it important for me to know that the interior walls were lined with cedar planks and gold overlays? Do these details offer any helpful insight into how I’m going to live my life today or interact with my wife? Maybe not, but after reflecting on this passage a bit, I do have some thoughts. Solomon’s task was to build the Lord’s temple, and to build it worthy of a holy and majestic God. We’re told of all the careful details that Solomon was mindful of in building this temple, such as the precise measurements and the specific stones that were used for the foundation. My thoughts are that Solomon took great pride in the work God had instructed him to do, and he paid careful attention to the details from start to finish.

Not many of us will be commanded to build a temple, though we are commanded to do everything for the Lord, and I believe that the details matter in what we do. What would it look like if I took as much pride and attention to detail in the way I loved and cared for my wife as Solomon did in building the temple? Or in the way I conducted myself in the workplace? Or in the way I managed my finances? You fill in the blank for yourself. Maybe you’re a mother, a father, an uncle, or maybe you’re a plumber, or a teacher, or a stay-at-home mom. Whatever you do and wherever you live your life, the details matter in how you live. I do think God is in the details.

My thoughts are that the details matter along the way, and we should take pride in the things God allows us to do and be a part of. I believe we can learn from Solomon’s great attention to detail and striving for excellence in the tasks God gave him. A verse that comes to my mind is Colossians 3:23: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.”

Your fellow traveler,
Rusty