How small is small?

For instance:

This week, for the first time, a spaceship flew past Pluto, a DWARF planet.

And…The Large Hadron Collider discovered a new particle, the Pentaquark.

Two large discoveries, of “small” things, of dramatically different size.

– – –

On the one hand, Pluto is smaller than our moon, a fact which somehow makes me respect our moon more.

On the other hand, a Pentaquark is a subatomic particle that is so small…

Well, honestly, it’s so small it may not even have any size at all.  Or maybe its size is determined by its momentum?

Can we just say it’s so small that if you want to know how small you need a degree in particle physics?

I suppose this can be a reminder that words like “small” are relative.

Think about this: The size of things can only be measured by the size of other things.

– – –

And so, when, in Matthew 17:20, Jesus says:

“Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

He has given us something to compare our faith to.

This, by the way, is a mustard seed:

You will note that it is much smaller than Pluto, but it’s much larger than a Pentaquark.

To have faith at this level is possible, but a challenge.

Thankfully, there are no spacecrafts or particle colliders required.

Only a heart striving to be open to

the immeasurable glory

of God’s Kingdom.

Have a great week,

Mitch