Insignificant Me

Yesterday I was blessed (as blessed as one can be to ride a bus with a bunch of 4th graders and chase them around a pond all day) enough to go along on my 4th grade son's field trip. We learned about Iowa wildlife, searched for tracks, learned about the prairie grasses, and were introduced to some bugs.
Most of what we talked about or identified had a distinguishable purpose in the ecosystem. But, not all of them.

We came upon a lace bug- while it was interesting to look at and unique, when asked what the point of this bug was, our guide said it didn't have much of a purpose. And then she said something that I can't get out of my head. "Some creatures were not made to be significant.  They may never be more than the bottom of the food chain."

I thought that it was a depressing thought at first. And then on the ride home I thought about it some more. In this world we are so driven to be the best. Who can make more money. Who has the bigger business. Who has the biggest house. Who has the fastest car. Who has the most read blog. It is ingrained in us every day.

And I sit on the sideline and watch this go by. I have never been driven to be the best at anything. I am a hairdresser. Did I ever dream of being the greatest hairdresser to the stars? No. I have never in my work of any kind, dreamed of being anything great. I want to do my job, respect those I come across and come home. I am a foster parent. Do I strive to take in more kids than anyone else to earn a reward. No. That scares me! Yes, its great to help, but its not my goal to save the world. I am a blogger. Do I hope to have a great big blog with thousands of followers and make money from this? No. I am just here, getting stuff off my chest and hopefully brightening one or two people's day. I have no huge aspirations for my life. I never have. I have never wanted to be the next greatest anything.

For a long time, this made me feel like I was lazy or unmotivated. What was wrong with me that I never dreamt of the way it could be? Then, today, I was reminded that sometimes we are just created and not called to be something significant. And you know what? That is okay.

My hope doesn't rest in my success. My hope rests in Christ. This is my goal. To be a positive example and a light for Christ. To share Christ's love with everyone. Not by being the next Max Lucado, Rick Warren or Billy Graham. Just by being Alicia- daughter of a Savior, Sinner, wretch, humble, broken, mom, wife. If I can leave this world and only my husband and children say "She lived for God and we think she was the greatest", then my life was just as significant as if 5 million people said I was great.

I am not saying no one should have goals and dreams to be great. God made us all for a purpose and He will use each of us in His own way. I'm just telling you, that if you sometimes feel insignificant as I do, it's okay. God's using you, too. You're doing just what He wants you to.

"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' Matthew 25:40

Do you feel as though your purpose is the bottom of the food chain? Or are you working on being the king of the jungle?


(*Top picture from field trip, no idea which kids are in the picture, but they aren't mine. ;)
bottom picture  from the millipede plague of 2010, I'm still working on learning their life's purpose, but rejoice that they have decided to fulfill it further away from my home)