MARCH 25, Matthew 6:27

The tallest man in the world today could be about 2.5 metres tall. That is 8 feet 1 inch, and if he enters your house, his head will almost touch the ceiling. But is that the tallest man ever in the world? No! The Bible tells us Goliath was about 9 feet and 6 inches tall. Is that impossible? Well, we have to remember Goliath was in his military attire so it is possible that height included his boots, his helmet, and the tall central adornment on helmets of elite soldiers as Goliath was. But still, he was a very tall man for the Bible to say he is 9 and a half feet tall. But we know that is possible, for the tallest man in modern history was Robert Pershing Wadlow from Illinois in America, born in 1918 and stood 2.72 metres (8 feet 11 inches) at the time of his death in 1940.

In Singapore, the average height of men and women is a lot lower than 9 feet! In fact, the average height for Singaporean males is about 1.72 metres which is 5 feet 8 inches. Women are about 4 inches shorter, on average. Is that tall compared to people of other countries? Unfortunately not. The average height of those in northern Europe is about the highest, with the average Dutch man about 6 feet tall.

Many of you will have parents who will tell you to jump, eat more, sleep better, exercise more – all in an attempt to make you grow taller. Would you actually be taller if you did all these? Yes, but there would be a limit. This limit is coded by your genes, for how tall or short you would be is determined by the genes your parents give you. You can sometimes see tall children born to short parents or short children born to tall parents, but generally, tall parents have tall children.

Today’s verse reminds us that Jesus knew this long ago. He mentioned in the text that no amount of worrying or care can add a cubit (16 inches) to one’s height. That is of course true! It is not important whether we are tall or short. It is a lot more important to trust God and to remember He is the one who determines who is tall and who is short.

Thought: May I commit everything to the Lord.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for the reminder that the important thing is not being tall or short, but in knowing who determines our height and who can help me. I pray You will continue to guide and help me as I read the Bible and Junior RPG every day. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.