Stature
Stature
For obvious reasons, this has long been a favorite passage of mine. If I were to enumerate all the times man has judged, teased, or underestimated me based on my physical stature time would fail us. There was a time in my life where I took exception to such behavior and shallowness from others, mainly pity that they felt they had to resort to calling attention to something which I could do nothing about. How often do we judge others based on criteria they have no control over? How often do we needlessly concern ourselves with what some fallible, shallow man thinks rather than showing them what really matters and taking the opportunity to teach a valuable lesson?
Instances like the ones described above are what we would call, "teachable moments".
There was a time where I felt the need to answer them right back, fight fire with fire, prove myself, defend myself from personal attacks, or try some other futile attempt in order to justify myself. What I found was, though it made me feel better, it usually resulted in mutual respect for one another being lost. Having a quick tongue, fist, or wit is not necessarily an admirable quality. Usually my defensive tactic now is to absorb what is said and strike back with self-deprecating humor. I come back with a better joke, make others laugh together with me over something that really is not all that serious of an issue. I use attempts to work me up as opportunities to beat the person at their own game by having a better joke about my height in my arsenal. I guess you could say that I'm never short on material (see what I did there?). It works, believe me it works.
But, though that works, I've realized that I'm missing a prime opportunity to call attention to heavenly things and thus make a profitable situation out of a pointless one.
Consider a couple men of short stature in scripture:
Zaccheaus and David
Being short of stature means you have to compensate in some way, figure out how to do things another way, never let it be an excuse just a challenge.
You climb a tree to see over the crowd.
You face a giant, without armor, with nothing but your courage, faith in God, a sling, and some rocks...and you win.
Imagine Saul, a man head and shoulders above everyone physically, being shown up by a "wee lad".
What does physical stature, or any physical limitation, have to do with anything regarding our spiritual capabilities? Nothing. That, physical characteristics, is not an accurate measure of a man. His character, his actions, his convictions, his determination to overcome whatever stands in the way of his goals, his dependence and faith in God...that's the measure of a man.
How often do we judge someone based on the exterior without ever taking the time to get to know the man within that shell? How often do we fail to carry the gospel to another because we deem them unworthy based on our own judgments?
What does this say of us?
How often do we beat ourselves up over things out of our control, or over things we can change but just don't have the guts to get busy changing, or use physical limitations as an excuse for why we neglect our responsibilities - whether that be physical or spiritual?
God doesn't give us that out. We don't have any excuses for not doing what He commands. Don't let what man says, what may be a "limitation", or your inner thoughts be a hindrance. Don't let anything get in your way of spreading the gospel, taking advantage of those teachable moments, growing spiritually, or becoming a better version of yourself (physically and spiritually).
God doesn't allow excuses, so quit trying to come up with them. Just do what He says. We have all the tools, sometimes we just have to work harder to use them for various reasons. Let's quit worrying and using physical things as a crutch! One day this life will be over and the physical things will be done away with and you'll be left with the question of, who are you on the inside (Prov.31:30; 1 Pet.3:3-4; 1 Sam.16:7)?
Strip it all away and one question remains...
What is the stature of your soul?
Because, friends, that's all that really matters.
I Samuel 16:7 NKJV
"But the Lord said to Samuel, 'Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.'”
For obvious reasons, this has long been a favorite passage of mine. If I were to enumerate all the times man has judged, teased, or underestimated me based on my physical stature time would fail us. There was a time in my life where I took exception to such behavior and shallowness from others, mainly pity that they felt they had to resort to calling attention to something which I could do nothing about. How often do we judge others based on criteria they have no control over? How often do we needlessly concern ourselves with what some fallible, shallow man thinks rather than showing them what really matters and taking the opportunity to teach a valuable lesson?
Instances like the ones described above are what we would call, "teachable moments".
There was a time where I felt the need to answer them right back, fight fire with fire, prove myself, defend myself from personal attacks, or try some other futile attempt in order to justify myself. What I found was, though it made me feel better, it usually resulted in mutual respect for one another being lost. Having a quick tongue, fist, or wit is not necessarily an admirable quality. Usually my defensive tactic now is to absorb what is said and strike back with self-deprecating humor. I come back with a better joke, make others laugh together with me over something that really is not all that serious of an issue. I use attempts to work me up as opportunities to beat the person at their own game by having a better joke about my height in my arsenal. I guess you could say that I'm never short on material (see what I did there?). It works, believe me it works.
But, though that works, I've realized that I'm missing a prime opportunity to call attention to heavenly things and thus make a profitable situation out of a pointless one.
Consider a couple men of short stature in scripture:
Zaccheaus and David
Being short of stature means you have to compensate in some way, figure out how to do things another way, never let it be an excuse just a challenge.
You climb a tree to see over the crowd.
You face a giant, without armor, with nothing but your courage, faith in God, a sling, and some rocks...and you win.
Imagine Saul, a man head and shoulders above everyone physically, being shown up by a "wee lad".
What does physical stature, or any physical limitation, have to do with anything regarding our spiritual capabilities? Nothing. That, physical characteristics, is not an accurate measure of a man. His character, his actions, his convictions, his determination to overcome whatever stands in the way of his goals, his dependence and faith in God...that's the measure of a man.
How often do we judge someone based on the exterior without ever taking the time to get to know the man within that shell? How often do we fail to carry the gospel to another because we deem them unworthy based on our own judgments?
What does this say of us?
How often do we beat ourselves up over things out of our control, or over things we can change but just don't have the guts to get busy changing, or use physical limitations as an excuse for why we neglect our responsibilities - whether that be physical or spiritual?
God doesn't give us that out. We don't have any excuses for not doing what He commands. Don't let what man says, what may be a "limitation", or your inner thoughts be a hindrance. Don't let anything get in your way of spreading the gospel, taking advantage of those teachable moments, growing spiritually, or becoming a better version of yourself (physically and spiritually).
God doesn't allow excuses, so quit trying to come up with them. Just do what He says. We have all the tools, sometimes we just have to work harder to use them for various reasons. Let's quit worrying and using physical things as a crutch! One day this life will be over and the physical things will be done away with and you'll be left with the question of, who are you on the inside (Prov.31:30; 1 Pet.3:3-4; 1 Sam.16:7)?
Strip it all away and one question remains...
What is the stature of your soul?
Because, friends, that's all that really matters.
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