He will bless those who fear the Lord—small and great alike. (Ps. 115:13)
Expanded Passage: Psalm 115:9-18
“Mommy, can you measure me?” Now that we have a six-foot painting of a giraffe as a measuring stick on our wall, my four-year-old asks this question at least once a week. The giraffe was a gift from her Papa, and she loves seeing how much she’s grown. Most kids want to be bigger, to get to ride the big rides and do all the things big kids do. Kids don’t want to stay small. Adults aren’t really so different. We may not be concerned with height and rides at the fair, but our desire for stature remains.
Sometimes this seemingly innate desire to be someone great—to make a difference or be important—trickles into our relationship with God. We may start to think God favors the successful and conditions his love in proportion to our greatness. But the writer of Psalm 115 declares that the Lord’s blessing is for the small and the great. It reminds me of the words God spoke to Samuel during his search for the next king of Israel: “The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Sam. 16:7). The psalmist is confident that the Lord’s blessing is not based on stature or popularity. Instead, it is poured out on all who love and revere him.
Anchor your significance in your identity as God’s beloved child.
Samantha Freds is an ordained pastor in The Wesleyan Church. She enjoys being active outside and spending time with her husband and two little girls.
© 2026 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
