Small and Yet...

For Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Proverbs 30:24-28

24 Four things on earth are small,
but they are exceedingly wise:
25 the ants are a people not strong,
yet they provide their food in the summer;
26 the rock badgers are a people not mighty,
yet they make their homes in the cliffs;
27 the locusts have no king,
yet all of them march in rank;
28 the lizard you can take in your hands,
yet it is in kings’ palaces.

Observe nature and learn. We are quick to blame our failure to succeed on a "defect" that gives us decided disadvantage. "I am too small to go against big opponents." "I am not strong enough for the work." "I am not smart enough; I don't have the education needed."

The examples given from nature in this proverb all have disadvantages. They are small and thus could not survive a fight with a larger opponent. They are weak and could not lift heavy objects. But where they are "small" in comparison to other creatures and weak in comparison to the task required, they are nevertheless wise to overcome their supposed weakness, even to turn their weakness into their strength.

The ant and the locust are wise enough to work as a group so that the ant more than provides for himself, and the locust becomes even a fearful adversary. The rock badger, as small as he may be, uses his size and ability to dwell in impregnable fortresses in the clifts. The tiny lizard who is regarded as common and unclean is able to live in palaces precisely because of his size.

Even in sports, where talent is matched against talent, the less talented athlete often emerges as victor because he uses his wits to outsmart his competitor, even to make the competitors greater talent a liability.

The battle belongs not so much to the strong but to the wise and to the great of heart. Determination, matched with wit, is powerful in both the large and the small. Do not let your "small defect" determine what you can and cannot do. Do not be quick to give in to your weakness. Turn, rather, to the strengths you have. You do not know what they are? Then use your wit to find out. You have more wisdom than you know. All you need to do is observe. Observe nature; observe what goes on about you; observe yourself. It will not be long before you learn and profit from what you see.