Sometimes we get so lost in the details that we lose sight of the bigger picture. Consider this story.

The 1870's British Empire stretched from Canada to the Orient. Even the most remote outpost was run with textbook military code and discipline. They seemed invincible to almost everyone—including themselves. In 1879 violence erupted between the British protectorate in South Africa and the Zulu Kingdom. England sent an army to invade Zululand.

The invading force split into two columns with the main column marching a few miles ahead of a smaller force. The smaller column camped at the foot of a ragged mountain named Isandlwana. As the men were eating breakfast the alarm sounded. Within a few minutes the soldiers formed a horseshoe defensive line around the camp.

The danger of the situation dawned on the soldiers when there appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, twenty thousand Zulu warriors! The British line didn't waiver. Each man was an expert marksman, and they possessed five-hundred-thousand rounds of ammunition.

When the Zulus came within range the soldiers opened fire. The warriors went down by the dozens. The attack wavered. For nearly an hour there was a standoff with British soldiers holding their ground against the fierce Zulus.

At the ammunition wagons activities continued with textbook rigidity. An accounting was to be made of every cartridge. Each ammunition box had numerous screws and only the quartermaster had a screwdriver. Each box was opened only when another was empty. Runners from the battle stood in line for their cartridges. No hurrying. No pushing. No panic. If a soldier showed up at a wagon that didn't belong to his company he was ordered to run hundreds of yards to the next wagon.

All along the line the British infantry was getting nervous. They continued to stuff cartridges into their breech-loaders, mark the targets, and squeeze off the rounds. NCO's calmly barked orders telling the men to stay under control. But more and more men were asking, "Where's the ammo?"

The amount of cartridges reaching the line had slowed to a trickle. Hundreds of ammunition boxes were still unopened and cartridges continued to be distributed by strict accounting procedures.

The volume of fire slackened. A native company ran out of bullets and ran towards the rear. The Zulus rushed into the gap and slaughter of the British troops began. Of 950 European troops who took the field that day only 55 survived. Of the 850 native troops only 300 made it back to safety.

What happened at Isandlwana is the only time an army, possessing a half a million bullets, neatly stacked in unopened boxes, was destroyed because it troops ran out of ammunition. The British quartermasters were so concerned with control of details they missed the bigger picture.

Points to build on

Sometimes in the hustle and bustle of the job, school activities, rushing to the next meeting, fixing the car and trying to make ends meet we lose sight of the purpose of life. Many times, we don't wake up from our preoccupation with details until the crisis is upon us in the form of ruined health, devastated relationships and depression. Its easy to get so lost in the details that we lose sight of the bigger picture.

It's not that we can afford to ignore all details, but we must be aware of the importance of details in relationship with the bigger picture. Stephen Covey, in his book Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, calls this the difference between the urgent and the important, "Urgent matters are usually visible. They press on us; they insist on action. They're often popular with others. They're usually right in front of us. And often they are pleasant, easy, fun to do. But so often they are unimportant."

"Importance, on the other hand, has to do with results. If something is important, it contributes to your mission, your values, your high priority goals" (Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen R. Covey, 1989, p. 151).

Jesus visited the house of two sisters. Mary sat and listened to Jesus teach the principles of life. Martha was distraught with the details of preparations for her guests. Martha complained that Mary wasn't doing her part.

Jesus answered, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her" (Luke 10:41-42). Mary saw a bigger picture. The details would still be there, but for now there was something more important to do.

Application

1. What are the most important priorities of your life?

2. What are the most important relationships in your life?

3. What one thing could you do to improve each of the most important priorities of your life?

4. What one thing could you do to improve each of the most important relationships in your life?

5. What urgent, but unimportant, details are keeping you from fulfilling your life's important areas and relationships?

6. Organizations create "mission statements" or a short statement of why they exist and what they want to achieve. Use Jesus' teachings in Matthew 6:33 to create a mission statement for your life.

Proverbs 4:7: "Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wisdom, And in all your getting, get understanding."