spacious sky

An undisciplined, self-willed life is puny;

an obedient, God-willed life is spacious.

Psalm 15:32 (Message)

Puny. Ever felt that way? It’s a very touchy-feely word. You hear it, and you can visualize it immediately. I’ve never really thought of what the word meant, so I looked it up today:

  1. pu·ny  

    /ˈpyo͞onē/
    Adjective
    1. Small and weak.
    2. Poor in quality, amount, or size.
     
    Synonyms
    little – small – petty – feeble – slight – weak – weakly

That’s the definition of puny. Small. Weak. Petty…. yeah, that’s puny. Of course none of us wants to be puny. So we imagine the opposite… strong. big. massive. necessary. That’s what I want, yeah. The thing is, though, you can’t just flip a switch here. Being puny is the result of a life of “puny-ness,” if that’s a word. It’s the result of accepting your role in life as insignificant and “less.”

The proverb for today on the Daily Audio Bible jumped out at me, not because of the word puny, but because of the alternative…. SPACIOUS. Not a common antonym, but accurate nonetheless. It make me imagine a Montana sky, although I’ve never seen one. An astronaut in orbit. A diver in the ocean.

These situations do not describe the person. They describe the environment that person lives within… where they dwell. Those who live undiciplined live the puny life because they actually stick themselves in a box that is so SMALL only THEY fit into it. It may feel free and easy, but in reality, it’s not. It’s small, tight, cramped, and nobody else wants in. The life that’s lived in light of something – of someONE – bigger is where it’s at. That’s where the space is. That’s where we can run, play, and grow strong. Where we can laugh, love, and enjoy.

I want space. I want to explore. To be free. To laugh. To relax. To fully engage. And even to fully DIS-engage.

 

montana sky