Articles
Great White Egret
R E F L E C T I O N S
Thoughts on nature and the Christian faith - Rom. 1:20
"For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and
divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the
creation of the world, in the things that have been made."
- Rom. 1:20
Few birds display elegance and grace more than the great white egret. I first saw this egret when he emerged suddenly flying over a dark and foreboding marsh near sunset. The contrast of its beauty and brilliance against such a dark landscape was striking. If fact, it was this beauty that almost led to the extinction of these birds. It was the fashion in the nineteenth century for women to adorn their hats with the feathers of these birds. The Audubon Society was then founded in an effort to save the remaining and rapidly dwindling population of egrets. What a loss it would have been if these birds would have been vanquished from the earth. There was a reason that God created such beauty. It was to remind us of the One who has the power and artistry to bring such beauty into our world. Egrets are but one of the multitude of witnesses that should point us to God. And in response, we are to not only recognize the Creator that is behind all creation, but to protect and care for these witnesses to his majesty. One of the purposes of the church is to tend to what God has made, to protect the living signs that point the world to the Maker of all things as he is embodied in the person of Jesus. When this egret passed by me, it redirected my thoughts to the one who loves me so much that he surrounds a sinner like me with art. The least I can do is to thank the Artist and care for his gallery. Beauty has a purpose. To ignore it or not care for it is, as far as I am concerned, a slap in the face of God. - John
ReplyForward |
Share Online
