Insignificant

Have you ever felt insignificant or out-of-place? I have. I was struggling with something recently and complaining to God about it. In response, he said "Do not despise the day of small beginnings." It was a reference to Zechariah 4:8-10 (NLT):

Then another message came to me from the LORD. "Zerubbabel is the one who laid the foundation of this Temple, and he will complete it. Then you will know that the LORD of Heaven's Armies has sent me. Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel's hand."

And then God showed me something interesting. I saw what looked like a shadow box, laid horizontal. Are you familiar with these? A shadow box (as described by Google) is "a framed display case... designed to showcase three-dimensional objects and memorabilia." This one was huge, and looked like a big white lattice. It had a feel like in the third Matrix movie, The Matrix: Revolutions (2003), when Neo was back in the white hallways and meeting the Architect of The Matrix. The scene took place outside of the Matrix and was a visible construct allowing Neo to interact with the Architect. This vision I saw had that kind of feel, of being otherworldly-- a spiritual place. Or if you prefer, a glimpse into the spiritual realm. It stretched off into the infinite distance.

As I watched, I saw the fingers of God placing a tiny shell in a specific box. How tiny? You could have fit a couple of them on my thumbnail. It looked like a banded tulip shell, but I don't know if that is significant. What WAS significant is that God was carefully placing that shell into a particular box. That particular box. It wasn't dumped into a box with a bunch of other little shells just like it. Oh no. That shell had its own place, just for it. That meant it was special. God placed it in that particular box and not the one next to it because God wanted it there, in that exact spot. Because putting that little insignificant looking shell in THAT spot was important to God. Why? I don't know! But what I do know is that the placement was not random. God was being very particular about it.

Sometimes we feel insignificant. Like we are unimportant, or in the wrong place. Like the proverbial fish-out-of-water. Like we don't belong there. (Maybe this is a sign that we should go-- that these are not our people and we should move on!) But what if, what if... God has carefully PLACED us in exactly this position for His purposes? What if this place of discomfort-- this job, this hospital bed, this church, this extended family, this impossibly big role or responsibility... What if this place-- this place we are not especially fond of at this precise moment-- is the exact position God has carefully placed us to grow or to accomplish his purposes?

Some of us are full of insecurities, by nature. (Others I have met are so full of themselves that a little self-doubt would be really welcomed by the rest of us!) For the insecure among us (Me! It's me!) there is a beautiful scripture passage that speaks to us in the middle of our insecurities. It is found in Isaiah 41:14-16, and I am quoting from The Message:

"Do you feel like a lowly worm, Jacob?

Don't be afraid.

Feel like a fragile insect, Israel?

I'll help you.

I, GOD, want to reassure you.

The God who buys you back, The Holy of Israel.

I'm transforming you from worm to harrow,

from insect to iron.

As a sharp-toothed harrow you'll smooth out the mountains,

turn those tough old hills into loamy soil.

You'll open the rough ground to the weather,

to the blasts of sun and wind and rain.

But you'll be confident and exuberant,

expansive in The Holy of Israel!"

Do you know what we put in shadow boxes? Precious things. Things we want to show off. Things we are proud of. You're not insignificant. You're precious. And odds are, you're exactly where God has carefully placed you.

Be confident and exuberant, and thrive there.

Look at you! So unique. Such a work of the master's art! Stand proud.