In Proverbs 30, one collection of small creatures takes the spotlight as a lesson for us.

Four things on earth are small,
    yet they are extremely wise:
Ants are creatures of little strength,
    yet they store up their food in the summer;
hyraxes are creatures of little power,
    yet they make their home in the crags;
locusts have no king,
    yet they advance together in ranks;
a lizard can be caught with the hand,
    yet it is found in kings’ palaces. – Proverbs 30:24-28

Feeling a little small and insignificant today? Take this lesson to heart.

Ants are small, but they work together and thrive like few other living things. There are millions of them just a few steps away from where you are, right now. Their homes around your home are incredible!

The hyrax (coney) is a small creature who would be easy prey for most of the meat-eating world. But because it makes its home in the crags of rocky mountains and canyons, he’s safe.

Locusts get amazing things done despite having no political party affiliation. Hmmm … maybe we should pay closer attention, no?

Lizards are quick, a little creepy and definitely hard to catch. Just last week I was assigned the task of trapping the one that had found its way to one of our bathrooms. When I finally caught it, I flushed it down the king’s throne.

Flushed lizards aren’t the lesson of this passage. Instead, it is this: No matter who you are, where you live, how small you might feel or how vulnerable your existence, you can still do great things. Just be the person God designed you to be, live where He wants you to live, and follow His ways.

That’s the message of the ant, lizard, locust … and that chilled-out coney, hiding in the crags.