Years ago, I once heard a preacher use an illustration about a billiard ball that I have never forgotten. He made the point that most of us consider a cue ball to be one of the smoothest objects known to mankind. Most of them are made of either ivory or some form of polymer plastic that has then been polished to an incredible state of smoothness.
However, if someone were to blow that cue ball up to the size of Planet Earth, the question becomes: "Which would be smoother, the earth or the pool ball?" He then asserted that, surprisingly, the Earth would be far smoother than the pool ball.
We tend to think of the earth as anything but smooth. After all, the distance between the top of the nearly six mile tall Mount Everest to the bottom of the nearly seven mile deep Mariana Trench is around thirteen miles! And yet, while we cannot see them with the naked eye, the microscopic variations on a pool ball would prove far greater if it could indeed be magnified up to the size of the earth.
Should this happen, one might see mountains on its surface that were twenty, thirty, or even fifty or more miles high, as well as trenches and/or canyons that were fifty or sixty miles in depth.
His point in all of this was that we often view the problems others are facing as negligible. We do this because, from our perspective, they appear miniscule. And yet, from the perspective of the person actually addressing them, they are seen as tremendous!
It behooves us, therefore, neither to discount nor to downplay the issues faced by others. Indeed, until we have walked a mile in their shoes, we should never even presume to assess, let alone to dismiss, the difficulty of their circumstances.
Instead, the Apostle Peter tells us to be sensitive to the circumstances of others. In fact, in the eight verse of the third chapter of his First New Testament Letter, he encourages us to be sympathetic and compassionate toward others. The Apostle Paul echoes this sentiment when he tells us (in chapter 12, verse 16 of his New Testament Letter to the Romans) to “be sensitive to each other's needs”.
As I have reflected on these matters, I have been reminded that the problems I face may well be considered by some as insignificant. And conversely, they may be seen by others as insurmountable. And yet, the important thing in all of this may well be that, from God’s perspective, they are neither. For He has promised to see me through whatever circumstances I face, irrespective of their size or ferocity.
More to the point, He has called me to be there for others as they face whatever circumstances come their way. And in truth, I am never more like Him than when I help others to do this, whatever the size or the amount of the difficulties they face.
In either situation, the size of the Lord’s response is intended to be, not just equal to, but superior to, the difficulty being faced.
And when all is said and done, isn't that about the size of it all?!
NOTE: The internet seems to be divided over the veracity and/or viability of this whole assertion. Below, I have cited examples of each side of the argument.
EXAMPLE OF SUPPORTING SOURCE:
https://www.worldatlas.com/space/how-smooth-is-planet-earth.html.
EXAMPLE OF DISPUTING SOURCES:
https://ourplnt.com/earth-smooth-billiard-ball/.
SCRIPTURE SOURCES:
https://biblehub.com/1_peter/3-8.htm;
https://www.biblestudytools.com/cjb/romans/passage/?q=romans+12:16-21.
However, if someone were to blow that cue ball up to the size of Planet Earth, the question becomes: "Which would be smoother, the earth or the pool ball?" He then asserted that, surprisingly, the Earth would be far smoother than the pool ball.
We tend to think of the earth as anything but smooth. After all, the distance between the top of the nearly six mile tall Mount Everest to the bottom of the nearly seven mile deep Mariana Trench is around thirteen miles! And yet, while we cannot see them with the naked eye, the microscopic variations on a pool ball would prove far greater if it could indeed be magnified up to the size of the earth.
Should this happen, one might see mountains on its surface that were twenty, thirty, or even fifty or more miles high, as well as trenches and/or canyons that were fifty or sixty miles in depth.
His point in all of this was that we often view the problems others are facing as negligible. We do this because, from our perspective, they appear miniscule. And yet, from the perspective of the person actually addressing them, they are seen as tremendous!
It behooves us, therefore, neither to discount nor to downplay the issues faced by others. Indeed, until we have walked a mile in their shoes, we should never even presume to assess, let alone to dismiss, the difficulty of their circumstances.
Instead, the Apostle Peter tells us to be sensitive to the circumstances of others. In fact, in the eight verse of the third chapter of his First New Testament Letter, he encourages us to be sympathetic and compassionate toward others. The Apostle Paul echoes this sentiment when he tells us (in chapter 12, verse 16 of his New Testament Letter to the Romans) to “be sensitive to each other's needs”.
As I have reflected on these matters, I have been reminded that the problems I face may well be considered by some as insignificant. And conversely, they may be seen by others as insurmountable. And yet, the important thing in all of this may well be that, from God’s perspective, they are neither. For He has promised to see me through whatever circumstances I face, irrespective of their size or ferocity.
More to the point, He has called me to be there for others as they face whatever circumstances come their way. And in truth, I am never more like Him than when I help others to do this, whatever the size or the amount of the difficulties they face.
In either situation, the size of the Lord’s response is intended to be, not just equal to, but superior to, the difficulty being faced.
And when all is said and done, isn't that about the size of it all?!
NOTE: The internet seems to be divided over the veracity and/or viability of this whole assertion. Below, I have cited examples of each side of the argument.
EXAMPLE OF SUPPORTING SOURCE:
https://www.worldatlas.com/space/how-smooth-is-planet-earth.html.
EXAMPLE OF DISPUTING SOURCES:
https://ourplnt.com/earth-smooth-billiard-ball/.
SCRIPTURE SOURCES:
https://biblehub.com/1_peter/3-8.htm;
https://www.biblestudytools.com/cjb/romans/passage/?q=romans+12:16-21.