Today I am focussing on the word 'pettiness' in the sense of something of secondary or lesser importance. Sometimes we pay too much attention to something which really should take back stage whilst we could be concentrating on things of more importance. I know that I am guilty of sometimes having a critical spirit, of focussing on an irritating quality in or action from somebody else when they have so much more worth or I am wasting my time thinking on it anyway. Apostle Paul cautions his young protégé, Timothy, to "avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. Their teaching will spread like gangrene ... have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies. You know that they breed quarrels" (2 Timothy 2:16; 23-24). We are not helping ourselves or others when focussing on trivialities, pettiness and inconsequential qualities and actions in others, when considered in the whole scheme of things.
