Think Big...
“…Small town people, always thinkin’ small time,
You can see where I was going with it.
Years ago, I wrote a poem. Can’t remember all of it, but I know there was a line that quipped,
running down others with their small, small minds.”
And, though it was years ago and I was likely thinking in a secular manner when I wrote the words, I think I was on the right spiritual track.
See, I believe as Christians, our thinking is often too small.
A little over a year ago I was in college working to finish my undergrad degree. The disorganization that is sometimes my mind evidenced in my method of choosing and taking college classes. One semester, having finished most all of my required classes, I ended up stepping backward to take an Introduction to Religion Class. I’d already taken Philosophy of Religion and Ethics classes and that particular session is giving me the framework that might’ve made those classes less challenging.
Anyway, during the early days of the class we were asked to describe qualities of God. Several of us listed attributes we thought important, but our instructor told us to think more deeply. After further study we offered the word “transcendent” and it was the descriptor our instructor was looking for. Transcendent is described as “…beyond and outside the ordinary range of human experience or understanding”. It worked because it encompasses many of our other descriptors in one attribute.
In other words, God is big and we were thinking too small. God is larger than we can fathom or imagine in the human mind.
My first publisher quoted I Timothy 1:14 in a phone call to me when “Plenty Good Room” was still in manuscript form. She recited, “And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.” This is partially where the title of the book came from. And, it reminds that God’s love and His kingdom is large. The second verse behind the title of the story is “In my Father’s house there are many mansions.” This reminds again that God’s house is the ‘big’ house. It is inclusive. Open to all who love Him and love their neighbor. In Matthew 11:28 this sanctuary for all is offered in this Scripture, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
It’s important to remember God’s love is not exclusive.
The popular song fashioned from 1 Chronicles 4:10, is taken from the prayer of Jabez to God, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory!” When singing the words, “...Enlarge my territory,” like Jabez most often we are praying for expansion of success. We are asking God for greater material wealth and gain. But, we must not forget the “territory” often needing the greatest expansion is the one within.
And, so we should pray, “…God, make me a larger person. Don’t let me be petty and small-minded. Keep me from paying back negative or unfair treatment in kind. Expand my thinking. Expand my capacity for giving. God, expand my capacity to love. Let me reflect the grandness of your spirit in my actions. Lord, let me reflect You.”
As written, “…Enlarge my territory. Oh, Lord Bless me. Indeed.”
What bigger blessing and what better way to be a blessing than to reflect our Father God in our actions?
And, that my friends means thinking big.
To begin a walk with God...