Starry Night
Scripture: When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? Psalm 8:3-4
Last night as we were driving home from the funeral home after receiving friends for my husband’s Grandfather who died just before his 99th birthday and I became inspired. I looked out at the night sky and posted this to my status on Facebook, “The October plant hung low in the cool crisp night sky just above the tree line reminding me that I am small and God is big.” Funny how a trip to the funeral home will make you reflect on your status in the universe.
Clyde Ongel Stephens (November 22, 1911- October 4, 2012) was a lover of music. He fashioned 21 hand-made fiddles in his lifetime and played as long as his feeble hands would let him. There are actual tapes of him making old-time fiddle music in the Smithsonian Museum of Art in Washington, D.C. because he was one of the few in the last 50 years who could remember many of the old tunes. He raised 5 children, which spawned 9 grandchildren, 28 great grandchildren and 5 great-great grandchildren. His life saw almost a century of change.
The very next day innovator Steve Jobs died at the age of 56. He did not live nearly as long as Papa, but is known all around the world for his advances in technology. How do we measure the quality of life? Is one person more successful than the other? A life is a precious thing, a gift, to be shared with those around you. Both men did indeed do that. Yet one is remembered around the world and the other for the most part goes unnoticed.
I suppose there are many gauges we could use to measure success. Depending on the standard you use you could find success in both men’s lives. At the end of every life there is a legacy that continues long after they are gone. I personally always find myself reflecting on my own life at times like these when mortality is a stark reminder of how fragile life really is and I almost always come back to this place of how small my life is and how big God is.
I am amazed that a giant God would want a relationship with me and use a small insignificant life to bring change in the world. You can research me and find pretty quickly that I am no Steve Jobs. I do not have any of my work in the Smithsonian. My greatest work went to Warren County High School, Centertown Elementary School, and just came down the hall in his underwear and said good morning(he is 3 not 38). I must always be reminded that my legacy is important to them and the future of this world does depend upon me.
I am not sure why one man would leave a giant mark on society and another a pin prick mark. Yet I do know that God can use the pen prick as much as He can use the giant mark. We can all be relevant instruments in the hand of The Master Artisan. Life is valued and noteworthy no matter your age or accomplishments. I am generally not that poetic. Why would I find a small prose in the stars last night? The giant mark of a creative God no doubt.
I pray that you surrender your life no matter how significant you think it may be into the hands of God today, asking him to use you to touch the world with the love of Christ.
Creatively,
Leslie Stephens
McMinnville, TN
Prayer: Amazing Creator, use my hands to touch someone today with your love. Use my feet to go where you would have me to go. Use my words to bless a life today. Use my life to be an ambassador for Christ in the world where I may be. Amen.
Prayer Tip: God uses all aspects of life to speak to us, even death. Always write reflectively about your thoughts a prayers, God will speak to you in those places of change.
Picture of Papa's hands courtesy of cousin Lolita Jones.
