Little things matter.

I don’t know if you watched all the way to the end of the Saints game Sunday. You may have turned off the game because it became too painful.

Somewhere toward the end of the game the Cincinnati Bengals scored. The player who scored the touchdown tried to toss the ball to a Cincinnati fan in the first row. Unfortunately for the woman dressed in Cincinnati gear, the ball was taken away by a male Saints fan sitting next to her.

They didn’t seem to have any relationship, and the Saints fan never offered to give her the football. (If only the Saints team had been as aggressive as the Saints fan, the score might have been much better).

The commentators for national TV pointed out the events taking place in the stands. They replayed the Saints fan elbowing the woman and taking the ball away. Though she complained and asked for the ball, he refused to give it to her.

All of this played out prominently for the whole country to see.

Finally, near the end of the game the camera showed the Bengals fan with a football and happily pointing to it. Apparently, some sharp observer in the Saints organization made sure that she received a football.

I couldn’t help but think how this made all of us in Louisiana and Saints fans in particular look on TV. Thankfully, the Saints got it right.

I want to say to you that all of these little things matter – not just for public relations but in life in general. You better believe it matters how you and I treat others.

What we do as followers of the Lord Jesus Christ counts. All of these little things matter.

Jesus dealt with people with kindness and love. He knew how to deal with the selfish and self-important Pharisees, and he knew how to deal with the visiting fan who just wanted a football.

Jesus lived a life of compassion and kindness toward people. He knew the world is filled with people who are like sheep without a shepherd. He encouraged kindness and compassion.

Throughout the New Testament caring and reaching out to other people comes up again and again. Paul told us to be kind, tenderhearted, and compassionate, forgiving one another as God in Christ has forgiven us (Ephesians 4:32).

It’s the Old Testament that tells us to love our neighbor (Leviticus 19:18), even the victorious fan of the opposing team.

These little things really matter.