“Shine down, shine down on our tiny enterprise.” – from Healing Waters, by Mister Mister
It is helpful to acknowledge that ours is a tiny enterprise. If we center our worlds around us, we lose perspective and become consumed with ourselves; our family, our finances, our hobbies, our nation, and wherever else our interests may lie. The truth is we are not that important.
There is a scene in the movie Jerry Maguire that illustrates my point. Jerry is a top sports agent for one of the leading agencies in the world when he writes a visionary mission statement that gets him fired. As he is leaving the firm, he declares in front of everyone that he will start a new company based on his mission. He then asks the question, “Who’s coming with me?” It is deathly silent until Dorothy Boyd, a single mom and lower level employee, declares that she will go with him. In front of the entire company, they walk quietly together toward the elevator until the doors close behind them. Once closed, there is a brief pause before the office erupts to life again as if nothing happened and as if they were never there.
I have thought of this scene many times. We feel so important, but life goes on without us when we’re gone, whether from a job or ultimately from the planet. Certainly, life passes quickly, and we are only here for a brief time. Scripture describes our stay like a passing mist or a flower that blooms one day and is gone the next. I can certainly feel the breeze of passing days and be dizzied by the swiftness of the changing seasons.
The shortness of our journeys and the swiftness of their passing doesn’t imply that our lives are meaningless, just that they’re brief. Such brevity leads us to the simple truth that it’s not about us. This understanding provides perspective as we learn and grow and finally return to the earth from which we came. It also helps us desire to leave the world better than we found it and to seek truth and purpose in all that we do. Prayer is indispensable in this endeavor.
The prayer to shine down on our tiny enterprise embraces this perspective. It is an acknowledgment of our littleness and a request for God’s blessing and guidance on our affairs. We would be so appreciative of his aid and assistance as we navigate the mountains and valleys, the twists, and the turns. This simple prayer should serve us well throughout our days.
The agency continued without Jerry and Dorothy and they in turn continued without the agency. Things change and life goes on. We do the best we can with our tiny enterprises. And we pray.