Last night I was on a plane landing in Nashville descending down from 26,000 feel. I looked and saw all of the small individuals lights - the lights of homes, stores, automobiles, and street lamps all became visible even from such a loft height. I began to think about how each of those lights has a purpose in the world "down there." To illuminate a home, permit reading in a late night hour, to bring light to dark alleys for safety, to pilot cars through the darkness on to their destination. Lights supporting life down below. I then thought of all the individual lives that these lights are serving - and I felt small. There is such a smallness in being human. We travel through space a breakneck speeds, on a rotating sphere comprised of ores, oceans, and organisms. The thoughts of the Psalmist began to travel in my mind. "What IS man that you are mindful of him!" Even more so, who am I amidst these millions of lights and lives taking place in the saga down below?
The startling truth that rings through in the message of Jesus is that among the billions of people who are living and have lived, every individual is vested with a glory unknown to any other part of God's creation.
He does love the sparrow, yet we are more valued. He clothes the flowers in beautiful splendor, yet we are more loved. Not one hair on our heads is missing or has fallen to the earth unnoticed. One small life, one significant small light.
As I looked away from the city into the darkness of the earth from 26,000 feet, I could not help but think about how lights illuminate the darkness, cast out fear, and bring truth to confusion. How much more does God intend his people to shine forth in a world darkened and broken by sin.
Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God's word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 2 Corinthians 4:1-7 - ESVWe are but small people, but oh what light and treasure does God place into our broken jars of clay. --------