We are enduring a very heavy windstorm in Central Virginia today. It began last night around bedtime, and when I was startled awake at 3 am this morning, I realized the power was out. Thinking that the wind may have knocked a tree into our power supply line, I grabbed a flashlight and went outside to do some investigating. I found all of my lines and transformer intact, but I noticed that neighboring houses were dark. So, I deduced--much like the great Sherlock Holmes--that there must be a neighborhood- or city-wide power outage. Yes, I know you are impressed by my investigative skills!
Having solved one mystery, I went to the back yard to see how my maple trees were faring in the wind. One of the maple trees hangs precariously over my wood shop, so I wanted to see if any branches had fallen or were in danger of falling. As I peered up at the branches with my flashlight, it dawned on me that, even if I found a branch poised to fall and damage the building, there was absolutely nothing I could do about it. I'm only 6'1" tall and weigh only 180...205 lbs; I'm no match for a 300-400 lb maple branch falling from 30 feet in the air. If one were to fall, it could easily crush both the building and me, so I decided it was time to go inside.
But I didn't immediately go back to sleep. I started to ponder. The incident reminded me of how fragile we are compared to creation and to the mighty acts of God. It reminded me of how little I am when compared to God himself. And it reminded me of how we humans try to display our strength to the world when, in reality, we are inherently weak. Our power is severely limited; we are finite--mere breaths compared to the steady winds of time.
Even so, we are not insignificant. Though our power is limited, God's is not. And if we learn to rely on him and partner in his "Almightiness," then we can leave great legacy in this world--we can be more than expired breaths. Indeed, as children of God, we can be mighty winds of goodness, charity, and positive change in the world. But it starts with humility. It starts with realizing our place in his creation, his place as Creator, our limitedness, and his unlimitedness. It starts at the base of a tree looking up and realizing that it's not all about me.
Comments