The Significance of the Insignificant

We know that God loves the poor, the defenseless.  Why?  What is so significant about the insignificant?

My wife and I enjoy watching the Taiwanese romantic TV shows for the simple reason there is a lot of morality in them.  According to Wikipedia, Taiwan is a tolerant society.  There are less than six percent Christians in the country.  Knowing this, it amazes us when we see the morality that is portrayed in the shows.  Many times, they appear more “Christian” than Christians themselves exhibit.  You see the respect for elders.  You see the sincerity when they ask for forgiveness.  Also—the point I desire to focus upon—the importance of human life.  Although they are a tolerant society and not Christian, they do believe in god(s).  This shows me how ingrained God has made Himself in humanity.  It is a rejection of this, a “pushing” it down when we can no longer see this.  Romans 1 rings resoundingly: “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness of men who by their wickedness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. Ever since the creation of the world his invisible nature, namely, his eternal power and deity, has been clearly perceived in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse; for although they knew God they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking and their senseless minds were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools…”^[1]  In the shows, if a woman is pregnant and is considering abortion, they will say something to the effect, “God has a purpose for every life.”  They normally will have rich versus poor, with the poor having a humility that winds up influencing the rich.  One sees how the inward beauty outshines exterior beauty, making the insignificant significant.

However, that is TV.  What about reality?  What about me?  I am now a “senior.”  I look upon my life and I see how insignificant I am.  With the exception of a very, very few, I have no significance at all.  When I am gone, the world won’t miss me, neither will, the country, state, or city.  For the most part, the Church Militant will not miss me either.  I am virtually totally insignificant.  Why does God even care about someone so insignificant?  I was watching “Father Joseph” on Netflix, and I wondered, “What is so important to God about the poor, who are all, seemingly, expendable and of no importance?”

I was sitting on a bench, looking at a deck made of bricks.  It struck me that every brick, in and of itself, was insignificant.  If it was smashed, thrown in a garbage heap, it just would not matter.  However, when it is put with the others, how significant each brick became.  Now, if it was missing, the whole deck would be ruined.  Even if it was replaced, somehow it would be noticed; the deck would not be as it was before.  That brick is so significant.  Ephesians 2:20 comes to life: “…You are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built into it for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.”^[2]

There are three characters that stand out for me from Scripture: Judas, Lot, and Jonah.  All three of these men, when they were born, were probably so lovingly held in their mothers’ arms, were probably loved tremendously.  Look what they became:  traitor, incestuous, and disobedient and hateful.  Even if they had been reared by someone else, someone loved them in that they reared them.  If their parent(s) had not loved them, God loved them and had someone care for them.  They were important.  What about the aborted child?  We don’t know what is going on in the mother’s mind or in her life that would cause such a catastrophe, but what about the baby?  Is it still important?  Is it still significant?  I am sure God still makes it significant.  I love this song by Kathy Trocolli, “A Baby’s Prayer:”

I can hear her talking with a friend
I think it's all about me
Oh how she can't have a baby now
My Mommy doesn't see

That I feel her breathe, I know her voice
Her blood, it flows through my heart
God you know my greatest wish is that
We'd never be apart

But if I should die before I wake
I pray her soul You'll keep
Forgive her Lord, she doesn't know
That You gave life to me

Do I really have to say goodbye
Don't want this time to be through
Oh please tell her that I love her Lord
And that You love her too

'Cause if I should die before I wake
I pray her soul You'll keep
Forgive her Lord, she doesn't know
That You gave life to me

On the days when she may think of me
Please comfort her with the truth
That the angels hold me safe and sound
'Cause I'm in Heaven with You
I'm in Heaven with You

Since I have strayed a little, let me get back on course, back to Judas, Lot, and Jonah.  I identify with Judas because I betray our Lord every time I sin.  He, at one time, followed Jesus willfully.  Jesus called him, and he obeyed.  At some point in time, he began to follow his own desires and feelings, which began to change his thoughts, and his flesh overcame his soul, leading him to betray our Lord.  Does this not occur in me also?  It is for this reason that I identify with him.  Judas was significant in that he contributed to Jesus dying for us, for our redemption.  He is also significant in that his fate encourages us to not despair, as he did, as a result of our betrayals.

Lot is probably the most disgusting person to me in the Scriptures.  Yes, he desired to protect the two guests in his home; however, he was willing to turn his daughters over to the mob to be raped.  When he left Sodom, he allowed his daughters to get him drunk and committed incest.  Nevertheless, we are told in 2 Peter that Lot was righteous: “…[God] rescued righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the licentiousness of the wicked (for by what that righteous man saw and heard as he lived among them, he was vexed in his righteous soul day after day with their lawless deeds) …”^[3]  His descendants were the people of Moab and Ammon.  Although they are known for the wickedness, Ruth was a Moabite, and she was an ancestor of King David.  The Ammonites were a fierce people; nonetheless, Shobi fed King David when he was fleeing from his son, Absalom, who had usurped the throne: “When David came to Mahanaim, Shobi the son of Nahash from Rabbah of the Ammonites, and Machir the son of Ammiel from Lo-debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim, brought beds, basins, and earthen vessels, wheat, barley, meal, parched grain, beans and lentils, honey and curds and sheep and cheese from the herd, for David and the people with him to eat; for they said, ‘The people are hungry and weary and thirsty in the wilderness’.”^[4]  Lot is significant in that he gives us hope: If he can be made righteous, so can we.

Jonah was disobedient and hateful.  He hated the people of Nineveh and wanted God to destroy them.  He knew God was a merciful God.  He wanted God to do his, Jonah’s, will.  In his disobedience, many people were saved.  “[The sailors] took up Jonah and threw him into the sea; and the sea ceased from its raging. Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows.”^[5]  The people of Nineveh may have also heard of what had happened to Jonah, and that may have been also a reason for their repentance.  Jonah is significant in that he gives us confidence that God will use us for good, that He will use us to fulfill His purpose for mankind.

I know it will cause my daughter cringe; however, even if God, in His love, mercy, and justice, determines that I need to go to hell, I thank Him that He has allowed me to benefit His Church, His Kingdom, benefit mankind, in some way, form, or fashion.  He has made even me significant.  I just want to fulfill the purpose He has determined for me.

God does not need us.  We are nothing, formed from the dirt of the ground.  He had to breathe life itself into us.  We can absolutely do nothing without Him.  If He was to desire to not think of us, we would all disappear. All in all, humanity is insignificant.  We are significant only because God loves us.  We have nothing without God; we are nothing without God.  Therefore, God loves the insignificant, making them significant.  That is the significance of the insignificant.

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^[1] Catholic Biblical Association (Great Britain), The Holy Bible: Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition, (New York: National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA, 1994), Ro 1:18–22.

^[2] Catholic Biblical Association (Great Britain), The Holy Bible: Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition, (New York: National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA, 1994), Eph 2:19–22.

^[3] Catholic Biblical Association (Great Britain), The Holy Bible: Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition, (New York: National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA, 1994), 2 Pe 2:7–8.

^[4] Catholic Biblical Association (Great Britain), The Holy Bible: Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition, (New York: National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA, 1994), 2 Sa 17:27–29.

^[5] Catholic Biblical Association (Great Britain), The Holy Bible: Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition, (New York: National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA, 1994), Jon 1:15–16.