Insignificance and Significance

Isaiah 6 begins with a recounting of Isaiah’s vision. It was clearly an overwhelming experience for Isaiah. He sees God in a vision of splendor and wonder. He sees seraphs flying around and singing. The vision is so overwhelming that Isaiah immediately recognizes his own insignificance and does not feel worthy of the honor of experiencing God in this way. It may be difficult for us to understand what Isaiah means. It may be a little like meeting a favorite celebrity, like the awe and delight I felt when I met Julie Andrews at a local bookstore for a signing.

Of course, Isaiah’s experience of God is of a different magnitude altogether. Isaiah is not a fan seeing a hero in real life. Isaiah comes face-to-face with the overwhelming awareness of God—up close and personal. In that moment, Isaiah recognizes his own insignificance in the grand scheme of things. It is as if Isaiah fears he will shrink away to nothing with the realization that his place in the universe is not as important as he may have thought. Some folks have a similar reaction when standing on the prairie or being in the middle of the ocean—they have a sense of being overwhelmed by the vastness of the universe and feel insignificant.

And yet . . .

God’s grace lifts Isaiah from insignificance to usefulness. This passage ends with God’s call for someone to help and Isaiah volunteering. When standing in the middle of the flat prairie, one may feel insignificant. And yet on the prairie, anything that is upright can be seen from great distances—paradoxically both insignificant and significant. So it is with Isaiah. So may it be with us.