You sit in the pew on Sunday morning, surrounded by your fellow churchgoers. As you sing hymns of praise to the Lord, you can’t help but notice that you are the shortest adult in the congregation. Your lack of height makes you feel self-conscious and insecure.
“Why am I so much shorter than everyone else?” you wonder. “Did I do something wrong to deserve being cursed with short stature?” A nagging thought creeps into your mind – could my height be a result of some sin in my life?
As a devoted Christian, you desire to live a righteous life that is pleasing to God. You want to repent of any sins that may be hindering your relationship with Him. The idea that your height could be connected to sinful choices weighs heavily on you. But is this line of thinking biblical? Let’s explore what the Bible really says about being short.
Key Takeaways:
- Your height is not connected to righteousness or sinfulness.
- Focus on developing godly character, not obsessing over your body.
- Be content with how God made you.
- Don’t judge others for physical traits beyond their control.
- Ask God to help you see yourself as He sees you.
Your Height Does Not Determine Your Righteousness
The first key truth to grasp is that your outer appearance and physical attributes do not reflect the condition of your soul. In God’s eyes, your height does not make you more or less holy.
1 Samuel 16:7 reminds us, “The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
This verse indicates that humans tend to judge each other based on outward qualities. But God examines what’s inside – the character and motives of your heart. Your righteousness comes from Jesus Christ, not your stature.
Consider the example of Zacchaeus, a tax collector who encountered Jesus. Luke 19:2-3 describes him as “a chief tax collector, and he was rich. He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature.”
Despite being short, Zacchaeus went on to sincerely repent of his greed and make restitution to those he had wronged. Jesus declared salvation had come to him that day! Clearly, Zacchaeus’ height did not determine his righteousness before God.
You may be short in terms of inches, but you can stand tall spiritually when you walk in holiness and faith. As 1 Samuel 16:7 states, “People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
Avoid Obsessing Over Your Body
A potential pitfall to avoid is becoming obsessed with your height and other physical attributes. Our human tendency is to overly focus on outward appearance. But God calls us to shift our mindset away from the temporal and onto the eternal.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 instructs:
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
While you inhabit your earthly body, remember that it is merely a temporary tent (2 Corinthians 5:1). Don’t waste energy wishing you were taller, stronger or better looking. These things have no bearing on your eternal destiny.
Rather, nurture godly virtues that will outlast your physical frame: “Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” (Colossians 3:12) Your height won’t matter in heaven, but your Christlike character will!
Be Content with How God Made You
At times you may struggle to accept your smaller stature, wishing you could change this unalterable fact. When discontentment arises, speak scriptural truth to yourself: God intentionally formed you in the womb with your specific height (Psalm 139:13-16).
You are not an accident of nature or a genetic mishap. As Psalm 139:14 declares, “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” Being short is not a deformity to despise but a unique aspect of your divinely crafted design.
The apostle Paul learned to accept his own physical limitations, rather than resent them. He wrote:
To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. (2 Corinthians 12:7-9)
Just as Paul’s “thorn” was used to cultivate humility and reliance on God’s strength, your small stature can teach you to depend joyfully on His grace rather than self-sufficiency. Ask the Spirit to birth contentment in you.
_ “…I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.”_ (Philippians 4:11-12)
Refrain from Judging Others
At times, you may feel judged or patronized due to your shorter height. Some people wrongly assume smaller adults are less capable or childish. These misconceptions can elicit defensiveness and resentment.
Remember that only the Lord has the right to make moral judgments of others based on the heart (1 Samuel 16:7, John 7:24). Since physical attributes like height are beyond a person’s control, it’s unwise to judge character and worth based on outward qualities.
Romans 14:13 instructs, “Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister.” Refuse to judge others for aspects they didn’t choose. Extend the grace you desire.
Ask God for His Perspective
When you’re feeling downcast or discriminated against due to your height, ask God to renew your self-image with His vision. The world’s lens may distort your identity, but your Creator’s perspective is true.
1 Samuel 16:7 assures that while “People look at the outward appearance, the Lord looks at the heart.” Crawl into the loving arms of the Father who made you in His image. Listen for His affirming voice that assures you of your infinite worth in Christ.
The psalmist prayed, “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:23-24) Humble yourself before the only Judge who knows you fully and loves you perfectly.
As you open your heart to God’s examination, be prepared for His transforming gaze. By the power of the Holy Spirit, He will shape you progressively into the likeness of Jesus – reflecting His perfect righteousness (2 Corinthians 3:18). Your stature cannot achieve this, only God’s Spirit within you.
So lift your eyes heavenward, beloved child of God. Set your heart on the realities of eternity where surface-level distinctions disappear. Your identity rests securely in who God declares you to be. Walk tall in the grace, freedom and purpose He has given you. For “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 Samuel 16:7)
