"Small" by JJ Heller is a song that seems to address the line between religious expectations and personal beliefs. The song begins by describing the presence of cardboard cutouts on the floor, which represents a false image or ideal that people project onto others. The lyrics imply that people often wish for others, including spiritual figures, to conform to their own desires and ideas. The song then explores the idea that this desire for conformity often results in creating a limited and shallow understanding of an individual's true self or spiritual beliefs. The phrase "much of you at all in their theology" suggests that people often mold others to fit their own theological framework, but this inevitably diminishes the true essence and complexities of the person or concept being misunderstood. Amidst this sense of containment and limited understanding, the song highlights the intimacy and transcendence of a divine connection. The lyrics express a desire to not reduce or diminish the divine presence but rather to embrace and honor it. The lines, "I don't want to make you small, I don't want to fit you in my pocket," convey a rejection of attempting to confine or trivialize the divine. The song also critiques the societal tendency to judge others based on appearances, expectations, and broken ideologies. It depicts broken moldings and broken people who fall when realizing that the divine does not exist solely for their own benefit. Instead, the song suggests that the divine's love surpasses human flaws and utilizes those who are considered weak or inadequate to challenge the notions of strength and superiority. Overall, "Small" encourages a deeper and more authentic understanding of spirituality, rejecting the temptation to construct a limited and superficial interpretation of the divine. It promotes embracing the divine's grandeur, recognizing its closeness, and acknowledging that our human capacity may never fully comprehend or grasp its entirety.
