REFLECTIONS

A Wonderful World

The gravelly voice of Louis Armstrong sings about trees of green, red roses abloom and smiling people saying “how do you do.” They are all a part of the wonderful world he sees before him. His words help us see beauty that we fail to notice on most days when the bustle of activity overrides our attention to it. So little time is dedicated to embracing the wonder of the world God created for us. Rather in our race through each day, his world is taken for granted and his presence in it goes unnoticed. And I wonder what he might be thinking of us.

I wonder if God looks down to find we are like the people he washed away in the flood of Noah’s day. Or I wonder if he sees the abusiveness and sexual immorality that caused him to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah? Or I wonder if he sees the likes of rebellious people that carried Israel and Judah into captivity? I wonder if he looks down today to find the presence of sinfulness of those days and to find that our world is not so wonderful at all.

There are indeed bad things happening in the world. Warring factions battle over religious beliefs, addictive substances take control of human behavior, and greedy nations plot to capture or protect positions of wealth. Yet our world is still wonderful. God intended it to always be.

In spite of human behavior that seeks to destroy it, trees of green still stand around us, red roses are still abloom, peacefully flowing streams deliver their soothing sounds, and majestic mountains reach their snow-tipped fingers toward puffy white clouds that grace deep blue skies. And smiling people all around are still saying “How do you do,” and many more with words of “I love you.” Don’t those words evidence a wonderful a world?

Love sums up all the commandments God has given. Love God. Love your neighbor. And aren’t those words within our control to use? So are the things we pay attention to, the attitudes we exhibit, and the behaviors we display. We can call attention to the ills around us, for there are many to cite; or we can become a display of the wonderful world God has made.

Words of love for each other enact God’s love for us. Acts of love honor God, and blended with the beautiful setting God created, make for a wonderful world.

You are the light of the world,

Richard +

www.reflectingthesavior.org

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