This morning I happened to read two different prayers where we humans were compared to “tiny ants” in the vastness of Creation, and yet we were called on to “show forth strength and render some service”, “bring illumination to this darksome earth”, “leave fear and peril behind”, “become as fruitful trees”, and even “cause human perfections to appear” in this world. Ants ARE relatively strong for their size, so maybe ‘Abdu’l-Bahá isn’t just putting us in our place as meaningless specks in the universe here. I think He’s pointing out that even though we are nothing compared to God and His Creation, He has given us the capacity to leverage what little we are to effect great and transformative positive changes to the environment and the lives around us. We can be just specks or huge illuminators of the earth. Here’s one of the prayers which inspired it: So my painting for today is a reflection of gratitude and pride at being one of God’s tiny ants. Here’s one of the prayers which inspired it:

O Divine Providence! We are weak and Thou art the Most Powerful. We are as tiny ants and Thou art the King of the Realm of Glory. Bestow Thy grace and confer Thy bounty upon us, that we may kindle a flame and shed its splendour abroad, that we may show forth strength and render some service. Grant that we may bring illumination to this darksome earth and spirituality to this fleeting world of dust. Suffer us not to rest for a moment, nor to defile ourselves with the transitory things of this life. Enable us to prepare a banquet of guidance, inscribe with our life-blood the verses of love, leave fear and peril behind, become even as fruitful trees, and cause human perfections to appear in this ephemeral world. Thou, in truth, art the All-Bountiful, the Most Compassionate, the Ever-Forgiving, the Pardoner.
—‘Abdu’l-Bahá