A few weeks ago I graduated from Officer Development School, the Navy basic officer indoctrination course. It was a demanding and transforming experience.

• From the very beginning we were challenged to pay attention to small details. We were constantly reminded that the small things matter.

• When you make your bed, you must keep it tightly tucked with blankets folded to 45 degree corners and the top turned back six inches.

• Your shoes must be laced correctly, with laces tucked inside the shoes and arranged perfectly flush on top of your locker. And the strings on your sweats must be stowed away.

• When you do pushups, you must go those last few degrees to truly break the plane.

• When marching, you must always align to the person on the right and cover to the front, staying 40 inches from the back of the person in front of you.

• When you stand watch, you must follow the routine exactly. Diligently check each fire extinguisher and AED on each and every walkthrough of the building, even though you just did it an hour ago.

On and on the lists went. And if you missed something, you were “encouraged” with extra physical training: pushups, burpees, pushups, leg lifts, pushups, squats, and did I mention pushups?

Did those things matter? It depends on who you ask.

To our RDCs (the Navy equivalent of a drill sergeant) they certainly did! Because they wanted us to realize a profound truth: it is often the littlest things, the smallest details, that can have the greatest impact for good or ill.

• Filling out paperwork correctly can prevent a sailor from having issues later in their career. But a flipped number can cause huge headaches!

• Noticing a dropping pressure gauge can keep a boiler from erupting. Seeing the leaky valve can prevent a malfunction.

• Simply asking, “How are you?” can start a conversation that leads a sailor away from suicide.

Little things matter. They can change the entire story. And if you aren’t diligent in the little things, can you be trusted to pay attention to the big things?

I think that’s why Jesus describes the kingdom in terms of a mustard seed. It is miniscule—absurdly small—yet Jesus talks about how it grows into this massive plant. And “faith as small as a mustard seed” can uproot mountains. For Jesus, little things carry significant impact. He didn’t try to attract crowds of thousands; he focused on a few key individuals: sending out 72, discipling a group of 12 apostles, maintaining an inner core of three (or four, depending on the story). Jesus realized that small could have a huge impact!

And the same is true in terms of sin, as Jesus cautions, “Beware the yeast of the scribes and Pharisees.” Because a little sin, a little selfishness, a little dissension, can have a huge impact. That’s typically how sin begins its work. It usually is a small giving in, a momentary lapse, a lingering glance, a slight slip-up, a seemingly negligible retreat … that grows over time.

Simply put, small things matter. They can have eternal consequences.

What little things might you need to pay attention to in your life? It’s a question I try to ask myself a few times a week. One of my mentors taught me how to practice Ignatian examen. It is a way of being mindful of the little things in your life to see where God showed up and where sin might raise its ugly head. Ignatius wanted people to simply stop for a few moments and spend time in reflection to notice God (or the need for God) in the small details. Then they could make those minute corrections that would lead to big changes over time. For instance:

• I recognize that my phone prevents me from being present with those in front of me.

• I notice that I harbor resentment toward a coworker, and I might need to confess and work on that.

• I discover that working in my yard becomes a time of gratitude and prayer, drawing me closer to the Creator.

It is simply a way to notice the little things that can have a big impact.

What little things might need to be added to (or subtracted from) your life so that your faith might grow?