Scale and Proportions

One weekend, while at the Brooke Hills park with the kids, Michael nearly stepped on a toad. We all squatted down and marveled at his design and how still he could stay even with us all examining him. Finally, eager to see him in action we prodded him with a stick. Man, did he fly!

I was marveling at how far he could go with one jump—endless motion from what seemed like no wind up at all. Olivia, still oblivious to proportion and scale said, “I could jump that far!” As innocent a pronouncement as that was, it made me think of how God views our life’s obstacles, and how important it is for me to keep a holy perspective of scale and proportion when it comes to God.

When talking over stress and anxiety with a close friend of mine from home she commented, “I know this is all small stuff, but it’s still hard.” It made me think that to us, it all feels big. We are small next to our struggles. Goliaths always do loom large. The question is not “is this too big?,” the question is “how big is our God?” David, the shepherd boy, knew this. “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts … For the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give you into our hand” (1 Samuel 17:45, 47). And that’s the peace in it all. What I saw as a huge jump for that small toad was indeed a small step for the much bigger Olivia. How much more are our huge trials mere steps for our Heavenly Father?! The one who created and sustains the whole of creation by the power of His word, is overshadowing my every struggle with his steadfast love.

What then shall I fear? The battle is the Lords. Let us strive to rest in that peace.