A lizard can be caught in your hands,
yet it lives in kings’ palaces. (Proverbs 30:28)
In today’s reading, Agur makes several lists of things that capture his attention, some unbearable examples that will cause trouble, and some small yet influential beings that exist in our world. In Proverbs 30:28, Agur talks about the lizard (some versions say “spider”), that it can be caught in your hands, yet it is smart enough to reside in kings’ palaces. There may be times that we feel like a lizard, so I hope that you will be encouraged by this proverb to learn some life lessons as we strive to give glory to God in everything we think, say, and do.
God gives us some great nuggets of wisdom in proverbs such as this as we try to find success in His eyes. Even though great pains are taken to keep lizards out of kings’ palaces, they still survive and are discovered inside. We can learn from lizards that through faithful perseverance, any task, even those against much opposition and difficulty, will eventually lead to success and great reward. In life, when you have a job to do, don’t complain or become lazy. Instead, use your hands to complete the task. Even when it seems boring and repetitive, don’t stop. Keep doing whatever God is calling you to do. Just as a lizard (or a spider) continuously uses its hands to grasp things, we need to do the same in our lives. We can’t give up because of difficulty, fatigue, resistance, or trouble.
One day, with diligent work efforts, we could end up in a place of high position, like a palace. The simple rule that hardworking and persistent men will be promoted is the way of the lizard or the spider. If you want to rise above the crowd, then work like these creatures. This success, reward, high position is us glorifying God and God exclaiming to us, “well done, good and faithful servant!”
What is God calling you to do during this season of your life? Do you feel small and insignificant? Hold on to the truths of God and know that He is in control. We need to remind ourselves daily that we may be small, yet God can use us to be influential for Him and His glory.