According to Britannica, coronavirus particles measure about 120 nanometers in diameter. To put that into perspective, that means over a hundred million coronavirus particles can fit on the head of a pin. And yet, in the U.S. alone, these little guys are responsible for hundreds of thousands of infections, thousands of deaths, 95% of the country under stay-at-home orders, millions unemployed, and thousands of businesses facing crises of existence.
I don’t know about you but that certainly puts life into perspective for me. It can be frightening to think that something we cannot see, touch, or smell can have such an effect. At least until it is put under an electron microscope, the only way we even know things like this exist is by the effect they have. In other words, it is not the virus itself but its purpose that packs the punch.
It is easy sometimes to think of ourselves as insignificant in the grand scheme of life. Several weeks working, eating, sleeping, playing, and everything else from our 6/10ths of an acre in Lewisville have done nothing to dispel this notion. But what the diminutive coronavirus reveals is that significance is not measured in size, shape, state, or length of existence, but in the role played within that existence.
Once again, I am reminded that life is a much bigger picture than I can ever imagine. Rather than overwhelming my importance, I see that vastness as elevating the importance of my being intentional in the role I play. It is my hope that on the other side of this, we all seek with intentionality the role we can play in the infinite picture of life.