For Want of a Nail – Is The Tale of the Nail a Legend of a Loser?

For Want of a Nail – Is The Tale of the Nail a Legend of a Loser?

I am fairly sure that most of you have heard the familiar little Nursery Rhyme by Mother Goose:

• For Want of a Nail
• For want of a nail, the shoe was lost;
• For want of the shoe, the horse was lost;
• For want of the horse, the rider was lost;
• For want of the rider, the battle was lost;
• For want of the battle, the kingdom was lost,
• And all for the want of a horseshoe nail.

The history of this rhyme takes us back many years to a more ancient era. It is quoted several times throughout history and in differing forms. This makes dating and sourcing very difficult. The best I could come up with is Confessio Amantis ("The Lover's Confession") a 33,000-line Middle English poem by John Gower: it quotes as follows:

• For sparinge of a litel cost
• Fulofte time a man hath lost
• The large cote for the hod [hood].

The American usage is best known through Benjamin Franklin:

• "For the want of a nail,
• the shoe was lost;
• for the want of a shoe the horse was lost; and
• for the want of a horse the rider was lost,
• being overtaken and slain by the enemy,
• all for the want of care about a horseshoe nail."
• -- Benjamin Franklin

Franklin’s point is that “A little neglect may breed mischief:” For want of a few small things great things have been lost. In 1757, Benjamin Franklin publishes Poor Richard’s Almanac and includes in the front of it this and other wise sayings or proverbs.

This rhyme evolved over time from an ancient proverb to a nursery rhyme. It has even been used as an illustration to describe the “butterfly effect” in science! The butterfly effect says that something so small as a flapping of a butterfly can set in motion reactions that could culminate in a tornado.

“A little neglect may breed mischief,” is a powerful life lesson. Little neglects can result in large catastrophes! Minor things are often our greatest hindrances or helps to our success in life. Small things are the keys to inner happiness and fulfillment.

I remember learning this lesson. I am 12 years old. My dad is an excellent carpenter but he knows nothing of cars, which seems odd to my mom. Why does he always have to take that tank of ours to someone else to work on it? It only seems logical that he could do anything to a car just as he fixes our house! “Glenn, we do not need to pay someone to change the oil. Get out there and get it done!” My dad knows when Mom speaks in that tone; there is no use in arguing. He plants a rebellious smile in a sheepish sort of way and utters some things under his breath that I wish not to quote. He returns the volley of words to my mother, trying to get the last words (he never does), “Well, ok, but we will not save any money!”

My dad purchases the oil and the filter, and he is a little too proud to admit he does not know exactly what he is doing. He sets out to do two things: one, to change the oil and filter, and second to teach me. I will not say that this is exactly like the blind leading the blind (because my dad is a fast learner), but real humor was about to set in like that pie all over Red Skelton’s face – a real mess was about to hit! My loving father, with full hypocritical confidence, crawled under our late 50’s, big finned automobile. He gives the oil cap a heave and a turn. He lays the cap on the ground, collects the oil, and lays his collection to the side of the auto. So far, so good. He twists on the filter and Wallah – he is the man! He bids me closer and shows me how and where to put the oil; five quarts he poured without stopping. Then, he shows me the dipstick and quickly his face falls. Here is a man in total amazement at something so apparently simple to do and teach, but he is even more surprised that it does not work! “I know I put five quarts in this #$%@!” (His language was not intensely salty, but some of his old language he would be embarrassed for me to quote.) Behind the car is a trail of new oil. Mom’s savings are a river stream of petroleum. All for the lack of an oil cap.

This is a common lesson for all of our lives. How do you know when your life is not ‘running’ well? It is when you discover the lack of the nail. It is easy to measure the big; it is easy see the large. However, the “want of the nail” reveals the value of moving inch by inch toward your goals. If you can’t achieve in the small, you may never achieve at all!

“A little neglect may breed mischief:” For want of a few small things great things have been lost. Franklin knew of what he was speaking!

A Scriptural principle comes to mind here:

Hebrews 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

This valuable life lesson applies to almost every circumstance of humanity:

In finance – The Law of Accumulation states that little gains over time saved and invested build fortunes

In science – The Butterfly Effect states that the little flapping of a butterfly wing may set in motion events that could lead to a tornado.

In Scripture – Song of Solomon 2:15 Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes: that ruin the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom.

I taught my children (as I have lived). “Begin early, with your first $10. Give one to God; give one to yourself for your future; live off the eight. Also, try to take some of the eight and make a small investment and be very patient. Try to never spend what you do not have!” They are on their way!

It is the very nature of sin to take you further than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you could ever pay.

One cigarette can lead to a habit; the habit can lead you to other drugs; the drugs can lead to addiction; the addiction can lead to sickness; the sickness can lead to death – yours and others.

One lottery ticket gives you a license to gambling; that license can lead to a habit; that habit can lead to addiction; that addiction can cost you your family, your wealth and your happiness.

One wayward look can lead to a moment of lust; that lust can lead to adultery; adultery can lead to divorce; that divorce can destroy your children; your own children may forsake you when you are old.

On and on it goes. All for the lack of a nail!

If this principle is so obviously true, why would anyone neglect the nail? It is because the horseshoe nail requires sacrifice! A small sacrifice each day means a fortune by the end of your race.

Heb 12:2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus,

This Scripture speaks of our Christian journey and daily we keep our focus on Jesus. This requires sacrifice.

Of other endeavors it is also true. There are no guarantees in most activities that if you take care of the horseshoe nail today, you will win tomorrow. However, at least for today you are moving toward your goal. If, at the end of the day, the little horseshoe nail is in its place, you know your horse is not being impeded by your neglect. This is all the smith can do, but this is what wins kingdoms, builds churches, makes fortunes, and gives and continues inner happiness!

If the kingdom is won at the end of the day, the nail in its place led part of the way!

When the goal(s) is reached, your 20/20 hindsight brings the nail into a sharper focus. In the heat of the race and the rush of the message and the blood of the battle, few take notice of the work of the smith. No one notices the value of the nail when the horse is in full gallop, except for this lonely craftsman. However, at the end, when the evaluations of worth to the victory are analyzed, the worth of a single nail shines as gold. That which was trampled upon becomes the crown that kings wear. This is the appeal of a single nail!

I write most of these hubs because I enjoy helping people; it is part of my way of serving God. I pray over each of them. I am not the greatest writer. Indeed, when I read the gift others bring to this forum, I wonder why I write at all. But, if I can be a lowly smith to fit a timely nail to make someone’s journey easier or to help someone to find God more personal or just to affirm you on your day of discouragement, then I have secured my part in the Kingdom.

All for the placement of the nail!