By Ben McEachenWednesday 19 Oct 2022Hope MorningsFaithReading Time: 2 minutes
Seth Lewis is ordinary.
By his own admission, the Irishman who works with a network of Baptist churches is nothing exceptional.
He thinks that should be the same goal for all of us. To become “smaller” in a world fixated on going big or going home.
Why is Seth Lewis encouraging us all to downsize our dreams and reframe our idea of achievement and status?
“A lot of the things that the Bible says are the most important, the most significant, are actually quite small, quite ordinary – in the world’s measuring system,” Seth told Hope Mornings.
Seth’s new book Dream Small takes a humble but pointed swing at where we place our meaning.
This modest, appealing bloke is unapologetic about calling followers of Jesus to not pursue the socially accepted ways of success and worth.
“The Christian life should cut against the grain,” said Seth, suggesting Jesus is the ultimate example of going small.
“He is the King of Kings, Lord of Lords. He’s the Creator; he’s got everything to the extreme.
“How did he use all of those big things that he has?
“He went down to the lowest, the smallest.
“He washed the feet of ordinary fishermen.
“He died on the cross for our sins.
“He came down to the lowest place and served… and that’s what he tells us to do, too.”
Despite being aware of Jesus’ call to be servant-hearted and not seek exaltation, we often can do the latter and forget the former.
Seth believes his “dream small” message will be hardest to swallow by anyone who has “lived their life for the big things that the world says gives us meaning and significance”.
“That if we could just get more money, or power, or fame, or a bigger platform or influence or status – or something like that – then that will make us significant,” he said.
“The reality is nothing can make us objectively big.
“People are small.”
Listen to the full interview with Seth Lewis in the player above.