In his book, Mind Your Own Business, Murray Raphel shares the following story. “Years ago, in Russia, a czar came upon a lonely sentry standing at attention in a secluded corner of the palace garden. ‘What are you guarding,’ asked the czar. ‘I don’t know. The captain ordered me to this post,’ the sentry replied.

“The czar called the captain. His answer: ‘Written regulations specify a guard was to be assigned to that area.’ The czar ordered a search to find out why. The archives finally yielded the reason. Years before, Catherine the Great had planted a rose bush in that corner. She ordered a sentry to protect it for that evening.

“One hundred years later, sentries were still guarding the now barren spot.”

The application is obvious.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please give me the wisdom to know what to guard carefully—especially that which is imperative and eternal—and forget continuing to guard that which is no longer relevant. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Matthew 15:14.