SMALL THINGS BUT GREAT

Proverbs 30.24-28
SMALL THINGS BUT GREAT
"Four things on earth are small yet they are extremely wise...." (30.24)

THERE IS MUCH WE CAN LEARN BY observing the animal kingdom! God designed and created all animals, so there are surely lessons we can draw from the way He made them. Agur directs our attention to four small creatures in God's creation: the ant, the rock badger, the locust and the lizard. They must be common household and outdoor animals then. If we open our eyes and look, the world is our classroom. God's handiwork is everywhere.

Firstly, we learn from these little creatures that size and brute strength are not everything to life. Each of them make up for their lack by industry (the ant), wisdom (the badger), discipline (the locust), boldness and freedom (the lizard). Physical limitation is no excuse for opting out of life. Joni Eareckson, paralysed neck downwards after a diving accident, once testified it was her wheelchair that set her free.

Secondly, we learn not to despise small things. The ant may be tiny, but we are urged to watch it and learn from its foresight, self-discipline and capacity for hard work (6.6-8). The lizard may be so small and vulnerable that you can catch it with the hand. Yet no security force, however tight, can prevent it from slipping into the king's palace! Thus, we cannot judge people and things by outward appearance alone. What looks unimpressive on the outside may possess tremendous strength and resourcefulness on the inside.

Thirdly, small things can become great when they band together. The locust on its own is an inconspicuous insect, compared, say, to an elephant. Yet when locusts fly together, they darken the sky and strike fear in the heart of man and beast alike. They devastate the land like a vast army. The farmer may swat around and kill a few, but against the amazing organisation and sheer numbers of the locusts, he and his crop are no match. On our own, we may not accomplish much. But when we unite with like-minded brethren, we can take on the most formidable task.

Finally, God provides for the humblest of His creatures. He made them with the necessary skills to survive. The rock badger is hardly the size of a rabbit, and is not particularly good in defending itself against predators. But it makes its home in the crag (the rough steep rock of a cliff), and is well protected. If God so cares for the humble badger, will He not also care for us? Let us learn our lessons from small things.

Am I learning from small things?