Children’s cartoons often have important lessons for both children and adults. While my wife and I were watching a children’s cartoon with one of our grandsons, an important life lesson surfaced. A little girl wanted to be the assistant to an arrogant and self-important hero. When he refused her services, he told her, “You’re just a pebble.”
As you might expect, the little girl may have been only a pebble, but she kept showing up at the right time to rescue the hero from his pride and missteps.
For everyone who thinks they are nothing more than a pebble in a vast world that seems to ignore them, Jesus has a message for us. He used John the Baptist to illustrate the importance of every one of His followers.
“As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: ‘What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind?
What, then, did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft robes? Look, those who wear soft robes are in royal palaces.
What, then, did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.'” (Matthew 11:7-9).
John was an influential leader who had quite a large following. People loyally accepted his leadership because they knew his words were true and meaningful.
If you are a TV viewer, you know that we are currently in a season of political advertisements. The ads are often so outrageous that they are nothing more than hot air blowing through a field of weeds.
John was not a windbag, and neither was he a member of the political or religious establishment. He knew the wilderness like the back of his hand, but he had nothing to do with the luxuries of palace life.
People followed John because they believed him to be a prophet. Jesus told us that His cousin was more than a prophet because he was God’s appointed forerunner for the Messiah.
“This is the one about whom it is written, ‘See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.'” (Matthew 11:10).
If you recall the story of John’s death at the hands of Herod, you know the people at Herod’s party thought John was of no more value than a pebble. When Herod’s step-daughter pleased the drunken crowd of elite friends of the king, John became expendable.
The powerful crowd at the palace may have thought John was nothing more than a pebble, but he was central to God’s purpose. Jesus wants us to know that we may be overlooked and ignored in the world, but nevertheless, we are part of God’s purposes for the world. Jesus made a striking comparison to drive this point home.
“Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” (Matthew 11:11).
What is the point of Jesus’ statement? He is using the great value of John to God’s kingdom to help the “pebbles” of this world realize their value.
We all do well to consider Jesus’ words as they apply to us. The most “pebble-like” member of God’s kingdom is very significant and highly important to God.
The church in Corinth was very interested in status. The divisions in the church came when high-status members overlooked those with seemingly less status. Notice what Paul had to say about the “pebble-like” members of the church.
“Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.
But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to abolish things that are, so that no one might boast in the presence of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:26-29).
The world may tell you that you are nothing more than a “pebble,” but God has called you and chosen you to be part of His activity in the world. There is no greater calling than to serve alongside the Creator and Lover of humanity.
Later in Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, he wrote about spiritual gifts. If you think you have nothing to give, recognize this fact: God has put His Spirit in you, and you alone can fulfill the role He has assigned you.
Paul reminded us of this: “To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” (1 Corinthians 12:7).
When you are tempted to feel like a “pebble,” remind yourself that God has put His Spirit in you and has given you gifts of the Spirit for the common good of everyone with whom you come in contact.
YouTube Discussion
We are upgrading our Internet service and I will soon be able to upload videos. Currently, I can only use the Internet for the blog articles. I hope videos with Rudy Ross and Bruce Kirby will resume in a couple of days.
Real Voices 