Remember … one size does not fit them all
Scripture reading: 1 Samuel 17:45-50. Text: “A champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. He was over nine feet tall.” And: “He (Goliath) looked David over and saw that he was only a boy, ruddy and handsome, and he despised him.” 1 Samuel 17:4th and 42nd verses. One of our favorite stories from the Old Testament is how the small David had defeated the big Goliath. Here we see that not the size and the brutal force but the finesse and faithfulness were the superior power: “David said to the Philistine, ‘You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.'” 45th verse.
IN OUR LIFE ALSO THE DIFFERENCE IN SIZE PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE.
I am sure you were also caught between these opposite realities: big and small, great and little, strong and weak, important and negligible, famous and never heard of, many and few, heavy and light.
We can witness that small businesses, farms, and congregations slowly disappear. It seems life proves the well-known proverb: Big fish eats the small fish. Today small congregations – below 200 members – have to struggle to survive. Our role is not to be judgmental that BIG is good or SMALL is wonderful, but to see what the characteristics are, as well advantages and disadvantages, of the huge versus the tiny. The Bible mentions many times the importance of the small size, for instance, the small mustard seed, Matthew 17:20, the small copper coin, Mark 12:42, the little flock, Luke 12:32, little yeast, 1 Corinthians 5:6, and the small rudder, James 3:4.
In the United States of America we are fascinated by the big size. In the store usually we cannot buy something small because we have BIG, GIANT AND JUMBO. Our country is one of the greatest and biggest in the world, therefore, we are No. 1 (or next to it) and we are proud of it. (Once we were the richest too + sorry, not anymore!)
THE DISTINGUISHING TRAITS OF THE BIG AND THE SMALL.
The small can hide, change, be flexible, turn around, adapt and adjust, while the big is just the opposite, due to its inherent size and inertia, changes, adaptation and agility are slow and hard to accomplish. However, when it comes to a physical showdown, it is sure the bigger and stronger will overcome and defeat the smaller and weaker.
This is even more obvious in the business and financial world. The “corporate raids” prove it. The financial takeover, the manipulated bankruptcy, the double bookkeeping (cooked books) and the fraudulent yearly reports and statements have created inexpressible loss and suffering to millions of small investors. It is almost impossible to outsmart big companies and financial institutions.
Turning to the opposite side, what do find in the spiritual world?
n The spiritual world is based on individuals and not on millions. It is the individual person who should repent, turn to God and be saved.
n From this comes the hard reality that the believers are often at odds with the world. “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” Coloss. 3:2. Also James 4:4/b.
n God favors the “small” and this does not refer to the size only, but also the defenseless, helpless, poor and young. Christ blessed the children, Mark 10:16. Please read also Isaiah 58:6-7.
n God does not make an issue between his divine almighty power and our limited human abilities. God does not “flaunt” his power over nature, the universe and mankind.
n In the spiritual life, the size is not set for good. It is possible to grow, become stronger, purer, better and nicer. “We will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.” Ephesians 4:15. See also Luke 17:5.
n On other hand, we are expected, as we grow spiritually, to deflate our ego, cut down our forcefulness, downsize our desires, and descend from our lofty imagination. “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” James 4:10. See Matthew 23:12. Also: “He must become greater; I must become less.” John 3:30. John the Baptist said this about Jesus and himself.
The secret of Christian life is spelled out by Apostle Paul: “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.” 2 Corinthians 8:9.
The Rev. Alexander Jalso is a retired United Presbyterian minister living in Brownsville.