I think some of the most important theological questions begin with the most ordinary things. I once heard John Piper say something to the effect that sleep is one of his great theological challenges. Why did God make humans to need sleep?

Thousands of years earlier, Augustine raised a similar question about flies and fleas. He noted John 1:3, which says of Christ “All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.” “All things”, says Augustine, includes pests like flies and fleas. Why in the world did God make them?

You may have asked something similar about mosquitos, probably after having been feasted on. Why in the world did God make those insipid creatures?! Well, Augustine goes on to say, God made those irritating insects to curb human pride. He reasons that there is something particularly humbling about being afflicted by such tiny, worthless creatures. I think he’s on to something. Here’s his explanation:

Understand this clearly, that God made all things whatsoever and set them in their proper places. Why though do we endure so much unpleasantness from a creature that God has made? Because we have offended God. Angels do not endure such things, do they? Perhaps we too would not have such things to fear in this life. Blame your sin, not the judge, for your punishment. Because of pride, in fact, God made this smallest, most useless of creatures to torment us. In that way, when man was proud and challenged God, and, even though he was mortal, he terrified other mortals, and even though he was human, he did not acknowledge his neighbors as human, then, just when he flaunts himself, he is afflicted with fleas.

Why do you puff yourself up so, human pride? Someone was rude to you, and you swelled up in wrath; fight off the fleas so that you can get to sleep—recognize who you really are. For, that you might realize, brothers and sisters, that these things were created to molest us so as to curb our pride; notice that God could have curbed the pride of Pharaoh’s people with bears, with lions, with serpents; what he did do was send flies and frogs among them, so that pride would be curbed by the most worthless of creatures.

Augustine, Homilies on the Gospel of John, article 15.

Here’s what I think is the most important takeaway: theology really does connect to life, all of life, even the most mundane parts of life. There is a reason for everything, even the mosquito. If we don’t know the reason, it’s not because there isn’t one, but because we haven’t discovered it yet. “The Lord has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble” (Prov 16:4). So the next time you’re bitten by a mosquito or bothered by a fly, crack a wry smile and remember your theology; remember who you really are – a humble human being dependent on a gracious God for life and breath and everything.