Looking beyond the front tireMy lawn tractor isn’t much — just a little 8-horse John Deere that was new when I was 4 years old. But despite its age and its small size, it serves well in the modest tasks I give it. And that tractor is a delight to my children. They love to play on it. And when I let them, they absolutely love to drive it. A while back, I was pulling our (also small) lawn trailer to the dump, and one of my sons came along for the ride. As a treat, I let him steer. Despite his best efforts, he was utterly unable to hold a straight course. We weaved first to one side, then to the other. When I suggested that he keep to one side of the road, he responded with frustration: "But Dad, I’m trying!"It was only when I observed his method of navigation that I recognized my son’s problem. He wasn’t looking beyond the front tire. His eyes were focused on one front tire, and he was doing his best to keep it facing in the right direction. But by keeping his eye on something so close, he couldn’t see the tractor drifting this way or that until the change had become drastic. By the time he did notice, his correction also had to be drastic. Once I understood the problem, I was able to help him correct it. He needed to raise his line of sight and aim for something distant — a house, a car, even a pothole. He would need to check the front tires now and then — they are important! — but he needed to worry more about the direction of the entire tractor. He tried it. We still meandered a bit on the pavement — but as he focused on the bigger picture, he was able to adjust to the minor changes more easily. All because he started looking forward more than down. There’s a parable in that little adventure. It’s quite easy to focus on the "front tire," whether we’re talking about family or work or church. The front tire is the "stuff" that’s right there — this month’s grocery bill at home; the timing of a shipment at work; the wording of a policy at church — and the view of that front tire can easily blot out every other view. I don’t mean to imply that the "front tire" is unimportant. The small stuff — the details of life — can have a significant impact on our destination. If ignored, the result could be disastrous. But we don’t stare at our front tires; we glance at them to ensure that they are helping us to reach our bigger goal. Otherwise our energy will be consumed with drastic responses to one crisis after another, never allowing us to make any actual headway.But our attention must fall on the bigger picture: how the family is using its resources to glorify God; how the business is serving its customers and employees; how the church is discipling the nations, equipping the saints and glorifying God. In other words, God calls us to focus on serving Him with all the gifts He entrusts to us. Jesus said, "Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness." (Matt. 6:33)That means our focus must be on serving God — every day, in every way. Seek first the Kingdom –— and the front tire will take care of itself.