What seems small in your world? That place where your vision is grand but your reality isn’t. Your influence? Your opportunity? Your business? Your blog? Your ministry?
Look at that small place and tell me what you see.
Now, might I be so bold as to slip a little note into your world to tell you what I see?
I see the place from which humility is birthed. That glorious rare quality that doesn’t take too much credit. That knows real success is laced with upward glances, bent knees and whispered praises to the only One. The One.
He who gives.
And He who withholds. Not out of spite, not out of ignorance, not out of deafness, and certainly not out of comparisons where others are found to be more deserving.
No. He withholds out of protection. With more urgent restraint than we’ll ever possess, He presses back the big to protect the workings of the small.
The small we should not despise.
The quiet nurturing taking place, the unfolding, the stir beneath where none can see.
Soon, a fork in the soul’s path must be chosen. One way to haughtiness. One way to humility.
If that soul has never tasted small, it will detest the humble pallet. And crave big, only big, until it is so full of big that being big inflates and distorts and eventually bursts. All things haughty will eventually be made microscopic.
But for the soul that has tasted small, humility becomes their richest fare. The taste that fits. The thing most desired to be be consumed. All things humble will eventually be made great.
Oh the beautiful gift of small.
The delight of knowing what small really is.
Small isn’t a belittling of one’s calling nor an indication of one’s future.
It’s a place. A grand unnoticed place. A place to be protected and remembered. A place that keeps all things big in good and right perspective.
Small isn’t what keeps us from that grand vision.
Small is what keeps us for that grand vision.
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Oh these words…. Are just dripping with wisdom. So good for me…so good for my blog with about 5 readers…. So good for my women’s ministry at church…. So good for this stay at home mom profession of mine. I needed to start my day off this way. So grateful…. Thanks, girl! Blessings, Kate
“Small isn’t a belittling of one’s calling nor an indication of one’s future.” Thank you, Lysa! I’m with Kate: it’s “so good”.
What seems small to me? Work…not much influence, actually no much of anything anymore. Job has completely changed. But through all this I can learn humility to “endure” this and praise God for a job & a paycheck.
“Small isn’t a belittling of one’s calling nor an indication of one’s future.
It’s a place. A grand unnoticed place. A place to be protected and remembered. A place that keeps all things big in good and right perspective.” I believe this is exactly why I’m still here at this job that I don’t care for. To learn perspective on things & see all things from His perspective!
I love it when truth is wrapped in beautiful packages…like the truth you pull out for us in this article. It is not an easy pill to swallow, this humble pie.
But having tasted it rescently, I can agree with you that it’s the pill that heals, cures, and sets one back on humble feet.
I do thank you for bringing this to my attention. It is a “soft admonition” to keep going, Jesus’ way.
Linda
Thank you for this! What a beautiful reminder.
It is so tricky to keep our dreams in perspective. As we pursue our calling, to remember our place. To know that Jesus told the parable of the talents, but also said the first will be last. To remember that Paul told us to go & lead & use our gifts, but also to submit to one another with the mindset of Christ.
His purpose for us is beyond our dreams. It is not just about what we do, it’s about who we are. And He is working on us all the time.
I have this blog where I write (with a small community who notices) because I believe He led me there. I believe it’s for purpose.
And then I have this family that is small with one child…and I am learning to believe it’s for purpose.
Your words touched me deeply, Lysa. Truly. I appreciate you today.
“…He presses back the big to protect the workings of the small.”
Just what I needed to hear today. Thank you.
Sometimes small is okay. Jesus was born small.
We are all small when compared to the world.
Thank you for the reminder that sometimes, smaller is better.
Oh, how my heart resonates with this! BEAUTIFUL!!! Thank you!
So, so gorgeous Lysa. Beautifully and joyfully written. As a singer my whole life, I always thought that my grand purpose was to interpret the stories written in song for an audience. Not for the accolades (though they were a nice (perk 🙂 but for the ability to move and inspire an audience with the song meaning. Two years after a debilitating injury which left me unable to sing, I know now that the real story I have been meant to share is that of His life and sacrifice and the impact He has had on my life, my relatioships, my very purpose. Thank you for reminding me that my “small” moments are only those where He is restraining me to pray, reflect, listen so that I get the story right! So together He and I can move forward and move others. Thank you for abundantly blessing my day! (This is a print and post on my fridge moment!)
Beautiful, poetic prose, Lysa. One of my favorites of yours…and one that was preciously timed.
xo
Once my world was big. Then it got smaller and smaller still, and even now, I see things happening which sort of cut off, or prune me. Or what I can do. Soon there will be almost nothing left except the words. But He has a plan, and small is just fine. Thank you.
So beautifully put Lysa. Big is not always better. I’ve seen that to be so true. God’s purposes go beyond the numbers and above our understanding. Thank you for this!
Thank you for well-timed words. So sweetly and tenderly and lovingly put out there. I am touched by this. I thought I left a comment early this morning but I must have been off to try to accomplish BIG things and I forgot to submit or post my comment. But I will be forever grateful for this lovingly written post, maybe just for me, but by the number of comments, maybe for others too.
These words hit me today. It’s as if God was speaking directly to me. Thank you.
Small tasks can be a place of such delight!
My small task is teaching young children who are struggling to learn to read – a quiet, unheralded task for which God has fitted me. In it it there is such joy. To share my students’ happiness in small successes is God’s gracious gift.
It seems unlikely to me that this is preparation for something grand – not to worry – in God’s place, contentment in small tasks can be a noble thing too.
Powerful words and a timely reminder: “…real success is laced with upward glances, bent knees and whispered praises to the only One. The One.”
May I embrace the small given to me by the hand of a big God. Thank you Lysa.
Oh, this message is such a blessing for me–thank you so much, Lysa! So, so true! Small is essential–“small isn’t what keeps us from that grand vision, it’s what keeps us for that grand vision”–I love that! That says it perfectly! Being faithful in small things really does teach us and hone us so that we can be faithful in bigger things as well. It reminds me of when Jesus tells His disciples that “whoever can be trusted with little can be trusted with much”–the little things prepare us, teach us, and are full of God’s grace themselves. What a blessing, this post! Thank you so much! Blessings!
When things look small where hope was more, trust becomes big for the Hand that holds the plan, God’s hand, it always comes down to trusting Him.
So wonderful and powerful Lysa. Thank you for your words!
Lisa, I’d like to share this post with my very small Toastmasters club. I’ve been nominated to be their president for this upcoming year. It will be the first time I’ve ever held a position like this.
Lysa, God is teaching me this! I cannot tell you how many times these words (that I read a few days ago) have coursed underneath the stirrings that what I’m doing, offering, being is not enough. That I’ve failed. Thank you for this truth, celebrating humility and God’s loving protection in it. How I keep needing this truth. Bless you.
I can’t tell you how many times I have come back to this beautiful post. Thank you for the continued encouragement.
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