Several years ago, my wife and I took our daughters, Kaley and Ally, to Costa Rica. At the time, they were about three and five years old, and we had the opportunity to experience the rainforest together. It was incredible. Everywhere we looked, creation was alive. The sounds of the rainforest. The monkeys moving through the trees. The toucans and parrots flying above us. All the colors, creativity, and complexity were overwhelming. It was impossible not to stand in awe of what God had made.

But I will also say… not every part of creation was equally appreciated by everyone in our family. An encounter with a pit viper snake was a little more adventure than we had hoped for. And then there were the spiders. Big spiders. Spiders that looked like they were the size of my hand. And when one of those spiders found its way into a shoe, I think my wife and girls were pretty much done with the “amazing rainforest experience.”

But one of the things I will never forget was watching little creatures on the ground. The leafcutter ants. These tiny creatures moving through this massive rainforest were carrying leaves, working together, and each one doing its part.

I remember thinking God created all of this.

The same God who created the vast universe, with billions of galaxies and stars larger than we can imagine, also designed the smallest details hidden beneath my feet. The God who created the vastness of the universe is also the God who created leafcutter ants. That is what makes Jesus so amazing.

As Colossians teaches us, the One who holds everything together chose to come close. The One who created the stars stopped for a woman in a crowd. The One with infinite power noticed one hurting person. And that should change the way we live, because a right-sized life means we look up, remember how great God is, and choose to live humbly and offer mercy to others.

Micah 6:8 says:

“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

Maybe that is what happens when we finally see ourselves clearly. We stop trying to be the center of the story. We stop trying to prove our importance. We look within and choose humility, and we look around to notice the people God has placed in our lives. Because the God who created everything…noticed us. Now we have the opportunity to notice others.

Application: How can I slow down today and love someone the way Jesus loves me?

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for showing us what true greatness looks like. You have infinite power, yet You came close to us with infinite love. Help us live right-sized lives. Help us walk humbly, love deeply, serve freely, and notice the people around us the way You notice us. Amen.