God’s creation is a marvel to behold. Geese can fly 1,000 miles without stopping sometimes at 50 miles per hour. Polar bears can be released 300 miles from their home and instinctively find their way back. How animals survive in cold conditions is amazing by itself. Polar bears’ hairs act like tiny fiber-optic tubes, trapping the warming ultraviolet rays and funneling them to the bear’s body while the bear’s outer temperature is the same as its surroundings. There are many more animals that could be discussed as evidence of the greatness of God’s creation. Only humans were made in God’s image though. God has given us wonderful bodies and minds that we can use to glorify Him. This can give us confidence that we can take care of God’s creation and creatively make new inventions. We should have the right mindset though, that our thoughts and knowledge will never ascend to God’s heights. Our culture exalts self-sufficiency, self-esteem, and self-confidence. It can be conveyed that our greatest asset is our own ability. However, we cannot accomplish anything of value apart from God. Samuel Morse who invented the telegraph and Morse code stated, “I have made a valuable application of electricity not because I was superior to others but solely because God, who meant it for mankind, must reveal it to someone and He was pleased to reveal it to me.” When we remember that all good things come from God we can remain humble and use these opportunities to praise God. No matter what our accomplishments are, we matter because God cares for us and values us. Author Dale Carnegie once said, “We all have an innate, unquenchable desire to know we are valued, to know we matter. Yet affirming this in each other is among the most challenging things to do in our day and age.” We can remember the parable of the lost sheep. The shepherd searches for one lost sheep out of a hundred and rejoices greatly when it was found (Luke 15:1-7). God wants all to be saved and share in the joy of heaven. We matter because God has created us and cares for us. Our purpose, to glorify God in all we do and share His love with others, is able to be accomplished through His power. We can keep this in mind throughout the day and at the start and end of each day. Dietrich Bonhoeffer states, “We are silent at the beginning of the day because God should have the first word, and we are silent before going to sleep because the last word also belongs to God.” References: Carnegie, D. & Associates (2011). How to win friends & influence people in the digital age. New York: Simon & Schuster. Bonhoeffer, D. (1954). Life Together: The Classic Exploration of Christian Community. New York: HarperCollins. Stohlmann, M. (2015). The world's greatest engineer. Seattle, WA: CreateSpace.
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Micah StohlmannChristian, author, and professor of mathematics education. Archives
May 2023
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