Pruning Your Life

Listen to this lesson on my new weekend devotional podcast Gleams of the Morning

“Every branch in me that doesn’t bear fruit, he takes away. Every branch that bears fruit, he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.”

‭‭John‬ ‭15:2‬ ‭(WEB‬‬)

Pruning has long been a practice used to shape and direct the growth of plants. Some people mistakenly believe pruning is necessary. It’s not. Plants will grow well enough without regular pruning by humans. Pruning is beneficial when you desire specific results for example, with fruit bearing plants. Pruning fruit trees and berry plants will regulate growth, increase yields, improve fruit size and quality, and maintain plant health and vigor.

This has a direct lesson for our spiritual lives.

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Be A Sea Sponge

 

Listen to this lesson on my new podcast Gleams of the Morning.

Key Text

“he who says he remains in [Jesus] ought himself also to walk just like he walked.”
‭‭1 John‬ ‭2:6‬ ‭(WEB‬‬) [word added for clarity]


The sea sponge is an odd creature. It is part of a the taxonomic phylum Porifera which means ‘pore bearer’. It’s a practical name. Scientists are not known for their creativity. The sea sponge lives in a coral reef and they are often brightly colored. They attach to rock at the base and grow upwards toward the light like some alien plant. But alas, they are not plants. You’d be forgiven for thinking they are one.

A Forest Hymn

THE GROVES were God's first temples. Ere man learned
To hew the shaft, and lay the architrave,
And spread the roof above them—ere he framed
The lofty vault, to gather and roll back
The sound of anthems; in the darkling wood,
Amidst the cool and silence, he knelt down,
And offered to the Mightiest solemn thanks
And supplication. For his simple heart
Might not resist the sacred influences
Which, from the stilly twilight of the place,
And from the gray old trunks that high in heaven
Mingled their mossy boughs, and from the sound
Of the invisible breath that swayed at once
All their green tops, stole over him, and bowed
His spirit with the thought of boundless power
And inaccessible majesty. Ah, why
Should we, in the world's riper years, neglect
God's ancient sanctuaries, and adore
Only among the crowd, and under roofs
That our frail hands have raised? Let me, at least,
Here, in the shadow of this aged wood,
Offer one hymn—thrice happy if it find
Acceptance in His ear.


Father, thy hand
Hath reared these venerable columns, thou
Didst weave this verdant roof. Thou didst look down
Upon the naked earth, and, forthwith, rose
All these fair ranks of trees. They, in thy sun,
Budded, and shook their green leaves in thy breeze,
And shot towards heaven. The century-living crow,
Whose birth was in their tops, grew old and died
Among their branches, till, at last, they stood,
As now they stand, massy, and tall, and dark,
Fit shrine for humble worshipper to hold
Communion with his Maker. These dim vaults,
These winding aisles, of human pomp or pride
Report not. No fantastic carvings show
The boast of our vain race to change the form
Of thy fair works. But thou art here—thou fill'st
The solitude. Thou art in the soft winds
That run along the summit of these trees
In music; thou art in the cooler breath
That from the inmost darkness of the place
Comes, scarcely felt; the barky trunks, the ground,
The fresh moist ground, are all instinct with thee. 

Here is continual worship;—Nature, here,
In the tranquillity that thou dost love,
Enjoys thy presence. Noiselessly, around,
From perch to perch, the solitary bird
Passes; and yon clear spring, that, midst its herbs,
Wells softly forth and wandering steeps the roots
Of half the mighty forest, tells no tale
Of all the good it does. Thou hast not left
Thyself without a witness, in these shades,
Of thy perfections. Grandeur, strength, and grace,
Are here to speak of thee. This mighty oak,—
By whose immovable stem I stand and seem
Almost annihilated—not a prince,
In all that proud old world beyond the deep,
E'er wore his crown as loftily as he
Wears the green coronal of leaves with which
Thy hand has graced him. Nestled at his root
Is beauty, such as blooms not in the glare
Of the broad sun. That delicate forest flower,
With scented breath and look so like a smile,
Seems, as it issues from the shapeless mould,
An emanation of the indwelling Life,
A visible token of the upholding Love,
That are the soul of this great universe.


  My heart is awed within me when I think
Of the great miracle that still goes on,
In silence, round me—the perpetual work
Of thy creation, finished, yet renewed
Forever. Written on thy works I read
The lesson of thy own eternity.
Lo! all grow old and die—but see again,
How on the faltering footsteps of decay
Youth presses,—ever-gay and beautiful youth
In all its beautiful forms. These lofty trees
Wave not less proudly that their ancestors
Moulder beneath them. O, there is not lost
One of earth's charms: upon her bosom yet,
After the flight of untold centuries,
The freshness of her far beginning lies
And yet shall lie. Life mocks the idle hate
Of his arch-enemy Death—yea, seats himself
Upon the tyrant's throne—the sepulchre,
And of the triumphs of his ghastly foe
Makes his own nourishment. For he came forth
From thine own bosom, and shall have no end.
There have been holy men who hid themselves
Deep in the woody wilderness, and gave
Their lives to thought and prayer, till they outlived
The generation born with them, nor seemed
Less aged than the hoary trees and rocks
Around them;—and there have been holy men
Who deemed it were not well to pass life thus.

But let me often to these solitudes
Retire, and in thy presence reassure
My feeble virtue. Here its enemies,
The passions, at thy plainer footsteps shrink
And tremble and are still. O God! when thou
Dost scare the world with tempests, set on fire
The heavens with falling thunderbolts, or fill,
With all the waters of the firmament,
The swift dark whirlwind that uproots the woods
And drowns the villages; when, at thy call,
Uprises the great deep and throws himself
Upon the continent, and overwhelms
Its cities—who forgets not, at the sight
Of these tremendous tokens of thy power,
His pride, and lays his strifes and follies by?
O, from these sterner aspects of thy face
Spare me and mine, nor let us need the wrath
Of the mad, unchainèd elements to teach
Who rules them. Be it ours to meditate,
In these calm shades, thy milder majesty,
And to the beautiful order of thy works
Learn to conform the order of our lives.



By William Cullen Bryant







Photo credit: Valiphotos via www.pixabay.com

Compatibility Of Faith And Environmentalism

Do faith and environmentalism go together? I was raised in a conservative Christian church in the Bible Belt. After a brief crisis of faith in my early twenties, I had a conversion experience and adopted my childhood faith as my own. While I share many beliefs with my fellow Christians in the Bible Belt, there is one area that I frequently encounter resistance—environmental conservation. You see I am a passionate defender of conservation and preservation efforts of all forms. When I bring this topic up to other people of faith, I often encounter mild interest and then the subject changes. If I push the issue, it often becomes a one-sided conversation, I'm talking, and they are tuning me out.

So, am I the only person of faith who also has a strong conservation ethic? Can faith and a strong conservation ethic go together or are they fundamentally antithetical? This is a big question. I think the most correct answer is, it depends. Let's look at how some of the biggest religions in the world view the natural world and humanity’s responsibility towards it.

A fantastic article titled How Religions Are Involved In Environmental Protection by the United Nations Environment Programme provides a good summary of how many of the world’s major religion view the environment.1 Lets consider four of the biggest. Christianity - In the Holy Bible there are approximately 100 verses that talk about caring for the environment. The principle of stewardship is strong throughout highlighting that the God of the Bible is the ultimate owner of everything, and Christians are simply managers. "The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein" Psalm 24:1, King James Version. The Holy Bible promises strong consequences for anyone who does not care for the earth. "...and your wrath came, as did the time for the dead to be judged, ...and to destroy those who destroy the earth” Revelation 11:18, World English Bible.

Judaism - This faith shares similarities with Christianity in its view of humans as God's stewards. “The land shall not be sold permanently, for the land belongs to Me, for you are strangers and [temporary] residents with Me” Leviticus 25:23, Judaica Press Tanach. Jewish tradition has a strong legal and ethical obligation to care for the natural world. There are multiple laws and commands in Jewish scripture dealing with the proper use of land and resources. Notable is the law requiring a sabbatical for the land from farming every seven years (Leviticus 25:1-7).

Islam - The Quran, has quite a bit to say about care of the environment. It implies that followers of Allah are tenants or stewards, “Then We appointed you viceroys in the earth after them, that We might see how ye behave” Quran 10:14, Pickthall Translation. There are several prohibitions against taking advantage of the natural world such as this, “Do no mischief on the earth, after it hath been set in order” Quran 7:56, Yusuf Ali Translation. The Quran also stresses the interconnectedness of all lifeforms, “There is not an animal (that lives) on the earth, nor a being that flies on its wings, but (forms part of) communities like you” Quran 6:38, Yusuf Ali Translation. The Quran contains verses on the preservation of water and the benefits of gardening. It also focuses on helping the poor and less fortunate. Climate change and pollution affect the poor most harshly, so the Quran offers a good moral framework for living a green, eco-friendly life.

Hinduism - Of the four biggest religions in the world, Hinduism may have the greatest emphasis on protecting nature. Its holy texts are filled with many references of divinity related to nature, such as rivers, mountains, trees, animals, and the earth. To protect them, Hinduism encourages environmental protection. “Ether, air, fire, water, earth, planets, all creatures, directions, trees and plants, rivers and seas, they are all organs of God’s body. Remembering this a devotee respects all species” Srimad Bhagavatam (2.2.41). “What is the good way? It is the path that reflects on how it may avoid killing any living creature.” Kural (324). “There is an inseparable bond between man and nature. For man, there cannot be an existence removed from nature” Amma, 2011.

We must keep in mind that while many religions have sacred writings, not all sects within that religion interpret their writings in the same way. In my research, it seems that leaders from the four major religions I looked at do believe their sacred writings not only encourage conservation on some level but require it.1 Most agree that humans have some level of responsibility to their God to be proper stewards of the natural resources of the earth. To what extent this is prioritized varies widely.

An interesting case study for this topic is John Muir, the premier conservation saint and founder of the Sierra Club. He was raised by a conservative Christian father who was a minister. Daniel Muir portrayed a harsh and exacting God to his children. Additionally, he viewed nature as there simply to serve man's interests.2 It would be understandable if John had disposed of the entirety of his father's faith and religion as he most certainly did with his attitude toward nature. John came to have a passion for nature akin to that of a religion. But surprisingly, he did not forsake his childhood faith in God. John did not retain the fundamentalist interpretations of the Bible or religious traditions of his father. But any reader of John Muir's writings cannot miss the abundant religious language and references to God.

It has been proposed that this practice was simply to increase appeal to his 19th-century audience which was predominantly Christian. But the sheer amount of references to finding God in nature seem to dispel this idea. Muir's writings seem to convey a reverence for the Creator God whom he found in nature. Additionally, it seems his faith informed his approach to nature conservation. It was precisely because Muir found a connection to God in nature that he held it in such high esteem. One of the many biographers of John Muir, Cherry Good, makes this point well. "[Muir] preferred to worship outdoors, where he could see God's hand in the beauty of nature, rather than within the four walls of a church." She also points out that an acquaintance of John's recalled, "Though ardently devoted to science, as well as the study of nature, yet the agnostic tendencies that had their beginning about that time found no sympathy with him. With him there was no dark chilly reasoning that chance and the survival of the fittest accounted for all things."3 For Muir then, faith and conservation were not at odds. Instead, they fit together naturally.

What we can determine is that faith and environmental conservation are not only mutual but compatible. People of faith can look to their faith to find meaning and motivation for caring for the earth. Additionally, we can glean that the framework for a conservation ethic already exists in many religions. We do not have to start from scratch in order to build a case for living greener for people of faith. Instead, we simply must find the language and ethic that already exists within a faith and bring that to their attention. The Interfaith Alliance stresses the importance of conservation to people of all faiths, "This issue is extremely important to people of faith and is at the center of debate on what are the next steps to improve our planet for the future."4

Faith is not necessary to having and developing a conservation ethic. There are plenty of people who live very environmentally conscious lives and do not claim any faith. Nature is the domain of all people, and anyone can see the value of preserving and protecting it. Faith can enhance this value for some people. It can also reduce the value placed on conservation depending on the specific faith tradition. According to one study, conservative Protestant faiths tended to value conservation less than average whereas Catholics tended to place a higher value than average.6 I believe individual family values also play an important role. In my own case, although my faith tradition placed little emphasis on conservation, my parents instilled a strong conservation ethos in me. I still turn off the lights when I leave a room and avoid letting the water faucet run, more because my mom instilled this habit in me growing up than because I desire to reduce waste.

Evidently, and not too surprisingly, your faith tradition will strongly impact how you view environmental conservation efforts. A Christian faith will tend to focus on how conservation benefits the welfare of humans emphasizing an anthropocentric view.7 Whereas a Buddhist may tend to focus on the sanctity of all lifeforms emphasizing a biocentric view.5 Both value conservation efforts but for slightly different reasons. Faith background may also heavily impact how persons of varying faiths think conservation efforts are best carried out and which areas should receive the most attention. Another interesting trend is that those who are more devoted to their faith tend to take its stewardship requirements more seriously and thus have an increased concern for the environment.5 Faith and conservation do go together. How your faith tradition emphasizes and implements conservation depends on many factors. What is clear is that people of faith have a stake in conserving the earth as do all people groups.

If you are a person of faith, go back to your sacred writings, to your traditions and rediscover the conservation principles held there. Remind yourself of your duty to God, to your fellow living creatures. Share these with fellow believers as you discuss and encourage them to adopt greener practices and live more eco-conscious. If you are not a person of faith, but want to begin a discussion about environmental conservation with a person of faith, investigate what their faith teaches about this topic. Use this information in your approach. You may disagree on other points, but environmental conservation is likely a topic you can both come to have in common. Perhaps you already have this in common but do not realize it because you use different language and terms to describe it. Seek to understand one another. There is hope for the future. We can find hope in our faith, and in each other as we work together to care for the earth.

Sources

1 United Nations, "How religions are involved in environmental protection," United Nations Environment Programme (n.d.), accessed April 11, 2019 from https://www.unenvironment.org/about-un-environment/faith-earth-initiative/why-faith-and-environment-matters/how-religions-are.

2. Stoll, Mark R. "God and John Muir: A Psychological Interpretation of John Muir's Life and Religion," Sierra Club online (1993), accessed April 11, 2019 from https://vault.sierraclub.org/john_muir_exhibit/life/god_john_muir_mark_stoll.aspx.

3. Good, Cherry. On the Trail of John Muir, (Edinburgh: Luath Press, 2001): 35. Print.

4. Interfaith Alliance. "Faith, Religion and the Environment," Interfaith Alliance online (MAY 28, 2006), accessed April 11, 2019 from https://interfaithalliance.org/faith-religion-and-the-environment/.

5 Rust, Niki. "Religion can make us more environmentally friendly - or not," BBC online (7 February 2017), accessed April 11, 2019 from http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20170206-religion-can-make-us-more-environmentally-friendly-or-not.

6. Greeley, Andrew. "Religion and Attitudes toward the Environment." Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 32, no. 1 (1993): 19-28. doi:10.2307/1386911.

7 Hope, Aimie L.B., and Christopher R. Jones. “The Impact of Religious Faith on Attitudes to Environmental Issues and Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Technologies: A Mixed Methods Study.” Technology in Society 38 (2014): 48–59. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techsoc.2014.02.003.





By David F. Garner Sierra Club member since 2008

Now All The Woods Are Sleeping

Now all the woods are sleeping,
And night and stillness creeping
O’er city, man, and beast;
But thou, my heart, awake thee,
To pray'r awhile betake thee,
And praise thy Maker ere thou rest.

O sun! where art thou vanished?
The night thy light hath banished--
The ancient foe, the night;
God then for now appeareth
Another Sun, and cheereth
My heart--'tis Jesus Christ, my Light!

The last faint beam is going,
The golden stars are glowing
In yonder dark-blue deep;
Such is the glory given,
When called of God to heaven,
On earth no more we pine and weep.

To rest the body hasteth,
Itself of clothes divesteth,
Type of mortality!
I'll put it off, and o'er me
Christ throw the robe of glory,
And blissful immortality!

Head, hands, and feet so tired
Are glad the day's expired,
That work comes to an end;
My heart, be filled with gladness
That God from all earth's sadness,
And from sin's toil relief will send.

Ye aching limbs! now rest you,
For toil hath sore oppressed you,
Lie down, my weary head;
A sleep shall once o'ertake you
From which earth ne'er shall wake you,
Within a cold and narrow bed.

Mine eyes scarce ope are keeping,
A moment, I'll be sleeping,
Soul, body,--fare ye well!
In grace Thy care then make them
May evil ne'er o'ertake them,
Thou Eye and Ward of Israel.

O Jesus, be my Cover!
And both Thy wings spread over
Thy child, and shield Thou me!
Though Satan would devour me,
Let angels ever o'er me
Sing, "This child shall uninjured be!"

My loved ones, rest securely,--
From every evil surely
Our God will guard your heads;
And happy slumbers send you,
And bid His hosts attend you,
And golden-armed watch o'er your beds.

By Paul Gerhardt; Translator: Catherine Winkworth

Photo credit: RitaE via www.pixabay.com 

Outdoor Object Lesson 80: Autumn Joy

Key Text

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭7:21‬ ‭(WEB‬‬)

Lesson

Autumn is my favorite season of the year. The beautiful colors of the changing leaves. The cool weather. The flocks of migrating birds. Seasonal flavors like apple and pumpkin. The warm glow of a fire. All these things help make this time of year special. Fall is not just my favorite season though. It has been a time of celebration for many centuries in many cultures. This is because fall is the time of harvest. Farmers and gardeners have worked long hours through the rain of spring and the heat of summer to till fields, plant seeds, remove weeds, and water crops. All that hard work pays off in the fall during harvest.

Of course many crops are harvested at other times in the year. But the most are harvested around the months of fall. This is a happy time of year because the farmer and gardener reap the rewards of their hard labor. They now have crops that they can sell at the market. But they are not the only ones who are happy. All the people who depend on the farmers and gardeners for their food are also joyful in this season because they have plenty of food as well. It is a time of much rejoicing. Many cultures have celebrated a harvest festival in the autumn. It is still popular today in the form of Thanksgiving.

Having plenty of food is not the only reason everyone is happy though. They also celebrate because now they have plenty of food stored to last through the cold winter. Little food will be able to grow during the winter months so everyone will depend on the food harvested in the fall. It will need to last until the next spring. So how disappointed would a farmer be with a tree or plant that she worked hard to grow all spring and summer that produced no fruit in autumn? I think extremely disappointed.

The Bible only refers to autumn a few times. The Bible uses autumn to represent harvest. In Jude 1:12, false teachers are compared to “autumn trees without fruit.” False teachers are disappointing because they seem like a good tree that will produce much fruit in the fall, but when harvest time comes they have nothing. As Christians we are all teachers according to the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20). We are to teach others about Jesus and his love leading them towards him. This is the fruit we are to produce. But many Christians are like trees that produce no fruit. Jesus warned his followers sternly about this in the key text. He said not everyone who calls me Lord will enter heaven. Only those who do God’s will.

In Revelation 14:14 Jesus is described as holding a sickle at the Second Coming signifying he is coming to reap the harvest. This is the autumn of the world. Autumn should be a fruitful season, the most abundant of the year. But not all the trees and plants will have a harvest for Jesus to reap. Many Christians may look very fruitful now. But some are false teachers that don’t actually produce anything good. These will be gathered up and discarded. Only those that do the will of God and work to teach others about Jesus will be gathered with the harvest to live in Heaven. Only those who work now in the spring rain and summer heat will have joy in autumn. Which type of tree will you be at the last autumn?

Questions

What is your favorite thing about fall?

Does the key text mean that we have to convert other people to our religion to get to heaven?

How do we go about teaching others about Jesus?

How can you teach others about Jesus even if they don’t want to talk about him?


Written by David F. Garner
Photo credit: giani via www.pixabay.com

Leadership Lesson Series: Addressing Diversity

At present there is a lot of talk in our culture about diversity. It is a buzz word that is cast around a lot in the news, on social media, and in conversations. It seems if you want your organization or institution to be seen as current and relevant than you should be actively pursuing ‘diversity’. What does that mean and is this something Christian groups and organizations should focus on?

Diversity is defined many ways depending on who you ask to define it. At the most basic level having diversity means having people from an array of backgrounds within your group or organization. It means the leaders and staff do not have the same upbringing. Their backgrounds may differ culturally, religiously, economically, or in other ways. It may also mean your group members have different backgrounds. 

The concept of raising awareness of diversity has been around for some time. As far back as at least the 1980’s work places and schools offered or required classes on cultural sensitivity. We live in a world where people migrate frequently and interacting and working along side someone of a different background is all but guaranteed. This topic often makes people cringe if only because they don’t want to sit through another mind numbing low budget film about the topic. It can also be a generally uncomfortable topic for many reasons. But as Christians it is a topic we must consider because we are tasked with taking the Gospel to a diverse world. 

The first step to addressing this topic is to remember that God’s people are extremely diverse. Jesus emphatically hammered a message of diversity into his proud disciples. His message was not only for the Jews but also the Gentiles. This was a hard lesson for them to learn. But we are now grateful they got the picture. It is also worth pointing out that the 12 disciples were a very diverse group. They all shared a similar cultural background but they came from vastly different economic, political, and religious backgrounds (various sects). 

The next step to understanding this topic is perhaps the hardest. If a person cannot take this step they will make it no farther and may become a barrier to increasing diversity and even to the mission of your group or organization. This step is to develop a sense of cultural humility. This can only be accomplished through prayer and soul searching. It is a long process that usually lasts a lifetime to fully develop. A simple acknowledgement that your personal culture or subculture is not superior to all others in every way is enough to begin with. Once you can admit this you can begin to have a conversation about diversity. 

One caveat is needed here. By admitting our culture/subculture is not necessarily superior to others we do not simultaneously concede the superiority of our doctrine or truth. Culture is a framework of tradition often built around a shared history and sometimes a shared body of truth. Culture is a set of attitudes and behaviors shared by a group. Culture could be seen as how we live out the truth we have. Simply count the numerous cultures that share the core teachings of Christianity and you will see this distinction. So we can discuss the diverse ways in which various cultures live out their beliefs or truths without immediately resorting to attacking and defending those beliefs or truths. 

Once a person can assume an attitude of cultural humility they can be open to discussing cultural differences. Discussion is the next and most important step of increasing diversity. This will inevitably lead to better understanding between all parties. Discussion may show that another culture simply does or sees things differently or perhaps does in fact have a better method of doing or of seeing something. We may also end up discussing points of truth upon which we differ. 

A better understanding of those who differ from us is the ultimate goal of the push for diversity. Improving your understanding of diverse people will aid your group or organization in carrying out its mission. All Christian groups and organizations seek to reach a wider audience with the Gospel. The most logical way to reach people with a different background or culture from your own is to talk with someone who has that background or culture. Bringing someone with that background into your organization or group means they are always present as a reference. And it means your target audience will see someone they can more easily identify with. Most importantly diversity within your group or organization is a reminder that God created diversity and it exists throughout the body of Christ.

We should not seek diversity simply because it is trendy. As Christians we should simply seek to understand more about those around us so that we can serve them better and more easily point them to Jesus. It may or may not be practical for your group or organization to seek to bring people from several different backgrounds on board. There may simply not be room. But you can certainly seek the perspective of diverse people about how you go about operations and fulfilling your mission. Seeking to bring at least one person of a different background can be beneficial because they will likely think about things in a different way and provide valuable insights. At the very least you should seek to be welcoming to a diverse audience. This will likely require some ‘market research’ to determine if the way things are done are off-putting or even offensive to others of a different background. 

You cannot seek to please everyone. But as Paul admonished, we Christians should seek to be all things to all people. It is our duty to nudge every person a little closer to Christ. We will not convert everyone to our brand of Christianity. But we should strive to show that Christ loves every person no matter how different they are from us. A bit of cultural humility and a lot of grace will go a long way toward achieving that goal. We must also remember that we are not perfect people, we are practice people. We are always practicing to be more like Christ. There is always something we can learn from someone no matter how different they are.

Written by David F. Garner

Christian Outdoor Object Lesson 64: Polar Bears

Key Verse

“For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? For if I were still pleasing men, I wouldn’t be a servant of Christ.” Galatians 1:10 WEB

Lesson

There are many types of bears on our earth. One of the most iconic is the polar bear (ursus maritimus). It is one of few creatures that live in the Arctic. It is a large and powerful animal with many interesting characteristics. It is the largest bear yet lives in one of the most desolate climates on earth, the frozen Arctic. The average weight of a polar bear is about 1000 pounds (450 kg). When they are born, cubs weigh just 1 pound (0.5 kg). Polar bears have a keen sense of smell and are able to smell food up to 20 miles away. They are also excellent swimmers.

One of the polar bears defining traits is their white appearance. This allows them to blend in with the ice and snow. Although they appear to be white, their fur is transparent. When one hair is held under a microscope, you can see right through it, just like glass. Due to the shape of the bear’s hair, when light travels through it, the light is scattered. This is what makes it appear white. The skin under their fur is black.1

As Christians we often try to appear Christian to those around us. We have a tendency to try and make ourselves look virtuous to others. We want them to see that our faith is genuine or that we are better than they are. In fact, you may even be doing so right now. Jesus’ own disciples were guilty of trying to show-off their goodness. This is not how Christ desires us to live.

As Christ’s followers, we live to please him alone. We are called to share our faith with others, but we must do this by living transparent lives focused on pleasing Christ alone. We must live honestly, not trying to appear better than those around us because we are not. We are just as undeserving of eternal life as non-Christians. It is only through Christ’s forgiveness that our sin is removed. When we live wholly focused on Christ, then we become transparent and others will see Christ’s light in us rather then our own.

Questions

Have you ever tried to look like you were a good person? Are you willing to share?

What are some ways that we can focus on Christ in our life rather than on the approval of others?

What can we learn from the example of Peter walking on water? (Matthew 14:22-33)

Sources

1 Tanya Lewis. “5 Weird Facts About Polar Bears.” (February 27, 2014). Livescience.com. Accessed December 28, 2017 from https://www.livescience.com/43673-weird-facts-about-polar-bears.html.



Written by David F. Garner

Photo Credit: skeeze via www.pixabay.com

Christian Responce To Trump's Environmental Agenda

Bear's Ears National Monument

So, what is the big deal with Bear's Ears and the withdrawal from the Paris Climate agreement? Our Commander and Chief seems to be focused on undoing actions of his immediate predecessor. Whatever his motivation, President Trump is certainly on a mission to reduce governmental influence on environmental conservation. Should Christians be concerned about these actions?

Bear's Ears National Monument was created under the authority of the Antiquities Act in the last weeks of Obama's term in office. The 1906 Antiquities Act gives a president power to designate areas of historical significance as protected sites without Congressional involvement. Trump is the first president in history to even suggest that some of these land designations should be reversed. This presidential privilege has been key in creating some of the most iconic outdoor sites in the United States including Devil's Tower National Monument, Grand Canyon National Park, and Teton National Park. In fact, several National Monuments have become National Parks.

These presidential designations have always been opposed to some degree. But the general public has always overwhelmingly been in support of the creation of National Monuments. Bear's Ears is especially divisive for a few reasons. First it was just created. Second it was created by Obama who Trump campaigned to replace. Third it includes a large tract of land totaling 1.35 million acres which is larger than most Monuments.

The Antiquities Act does not provide the President with power to reverse a Monuments designated as such. Thus, Trump has ordered a review to see if the creation of Bear's Ears was 100% in line with the law. His ordered review extends beyond Bear's Ears though and includes Monuments created as far back as 1996. It is ultimately up to Congress to reverse a Monument's status.

So, what is the big deal if Bear's Ears loses it designation? Well, particularly the motivation behind Trump's decision to reverse it. Taken with all his other statements and actions to date, Trump seems to have little concern for the environment and its preservation. This is concerning for Christians who have a Biblical obligation to be good stewards of God's creation (Gen. 1:28). It is also concerning because of why Bear's Ears received Monument status. It was not simply a random tract of land that Obama decided to protect. It was selected because of the efforts of five Native American tribes to have it protected. They campaigned for over six years to achieve the preservation of this beautiful land. It would be yet another line in the long list of ways Native Americans have been disregarded by the United States government over the past few centuries.

There is more at stake with Bear's Ears than simply a status designation. The preservation of our environment for future generations may be threatened if Trump succeeds in undoing all the environmental protections he appears to be after (see his comments on the EPA here). This is a social justice issue. It goes beyond how the government treats Native American’s. Pollution and environmental degradation hurt the poor most no matter their ethnic background. They have the least resources to deal with the fallout.

This is why Trump's decision to pull out of the Paris Climate Accord is also something you should be disappointed by. This will make the USA the only developed country to back out of the agreement. It is disappointing because it seems the motivation is based on money alone. Syria chose not to join the Accord in the first place because it said the measures were not aggressive enough. The pullout would stifle the growth of green energy solutions in the USA. Thankfully, conservation and green energy have taken hold of the general public to a degree that individuals and the Private Sector are taking the initiative to implement these on their own. Whether or not you believe global warming to be caused by humans, there is no doubt that things like smog, water pollution, and mass deforestation are human's doing. And these things along with others will hurt the poor most. (see here)

Trump's actions and their effect on the environment will continue to be debated for years. We should hope that his actions will not be as dire as they initially sound. The bureaucratic process will hopefully result in sound policies toward environmental conservation as well as economic stability. There are many Christian taking part in good stewardship of the environment. You can too. Get involved in a local green intuitive; reduce, reuse, and recycle; make your voice heard in matters of environmental conservation (click here to take action to preserve Bear's Ears). Follow and get involved with Christian environmental organizations like A Rocha; help your church or school to become better stewards of the environment (click here for tips). Most importantly, pray and work for Christ's soon return so that he can make all things new!








Written by David F. Garner

Christian Outdoor Object Lesson 53: Chameleon Like

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Key Verse

“For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more;”
‭‭I Corinthians‬ ‭9:19‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Lesson

One of the most fascinating creatures in God's kingdom is the chameleon. It's eyes can move independently of one another and focus on two different objects at the same time. It's tail is prehensile so it can grip things. It's feet look like hands. It has a tongue like a frog which can hit bugs with a force of up to 41 g's. And of course, it can change the color of its skin.

God gave chameleons an amazing form of camouflage. They can change the color of their skin to match that of their surroundings. The most amazing part is that their skin can be multiple colors at the same time to match the pattern of the plants and scenery around them. Special color pigment cells under the skin called chromatophores allow them to do this creating combined patterns of pink, blue, red, orange, green, black, brown, yellow, and even purple.

Chameleons typically live in warm tropical places where there are plants with many varied and bright colors. That's is why they use odd colors like yellow and purple. But hiding is not the only reason chameleons change colors. Some show darker colors when angry, or when trying to look impressive. Males show light multi-colored patterns when enticing female attention. Desert varieties change to black when its cooler to absorb heat, then light grey to reflect heat.1


No matter how well the chameleons camouflage works, no matter how alike they appear to the plants and ground around them, they are still fundamentally different. Chameleons are animals, not plants. They can walk, think, and see. The chameleon make look like a plant or tree bark at first glance, but as you look more closely you can see it is fundamentally different.

As Christians we are called to serve people that we might win them to Christ. To do this we often appear similar to worldly people. We dress similarly, talk similarly, act in many of the same ways, we may even listen to some of the same music. But we must remember that we are fundamentally different, we are not of this world. We are free from the pressure of living up to the expectations of others and only have to please God. We act and think according to God's standards not man's! When we do choose to appear similar to the world we must remember it is not for our own gain, but to share the hope we have. Like the chameleon we blend in, but we are different.

Questions

What example did Jesus leave us about how to live in the world without being of it?

What types of things are ok for Christians to do without endangering their salvation?

The Pharisees had long checklists of do's and don'ts. How can we avoid becoming like that?

Written by David F. Garner

Photograph by Marcel Langthim via pixabay.com


1. Rene Smith, Fun Chameleon Facts for Kids (July 8, 2016), Sciencekids.co.nz, Accessed 6/16/2017 http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/animals/chameleon.html.

Christian Outdoor Object Lesson 11: Shine Your Flashlight

Key Verse

"Neither do you light a lamp, and put it under a measuring basket, but on a stand; and it shines to all who are in the house." Matthew 5:15 (WEB)

Lesson

We don’t use candles much anymore today. When traveling outdoors they are not very useful. Instead, we use battery-powered lights such as flashlights and headlamps. Headlamps are very useful tools. They leave the hands free to complete tasks while still providing light exactly where it is needed.

In Matthew 5 we find the familiar Beatitudes Jesus preached during the Sermon on the Mount. In verse 15 Jesus is discussing the Light of the World. Jesus says that we are the light of the world in the previous verse. In His sermon, he makes a very valid point, when you turn a light on, you don’t cover it up. The same would go for a headlamp. You don’t turn it on and then stuff it back in your backpack; that would not do you any good. You could have left it at home and saved weight.

In this example the physical light represents the spiritual light of truth we as Christians have. The spiritual light is exactly what Jesus mentions earlier in this chapter in the Beatitudes—humility, kindness, mercy, peace making. What is funny, is that often, as Christians, we keep the light to ourselves. We read our bibles and go to church, but we keep what we learn to ourselves. We don’t display the light of truth at school or work through our actions. Sometimes our desire to fit in overcomes our desire to share the light we have received.

Its like we have a really nice, expensive headlamp, but instead of bringing it out at night to use around camp, we take it out under cover of our sleeping bags and just stare into it. That’s pretty stupid! We need to use our light and share the light with others.

Of course it is easy to know when you are using your headlamp, you can see the light. But sometimes it is hard to know if we are using our spiritual light. I mean we know when we are living a “good” life because we are not doing anything wrong. But how can we tell if we are sharing our light with other people? How do you know when you have been using your headlamp or flashlight? Of course, the battery starts to run low. You know you have been using it a lot when its time to recharge or change the batteries.

It is the same in our spiritual life. We can know if we have really been sharing our spiritual light when we feel the need to be close to God, to recharge. Jesus spent a lot of time alone in prayer to his Heavenly Father. Why was this? Because he spent a lot of time sharing light through his actions. When we openly practice humility, show kindness to the person others make fun of, have mercy on those who hurt us, and make peace with others, it will cause us to desire more time with God and in his Word.

Questions

What are some other ways to share the spiritual light we have?

Is it wrong to keep the light of truth we have to ourselves?

What are good ways to recharge our spiritual batteries?

Written by David F. Garner
Photo credit: David F. Garner

Christian Outdoor Object Lesson 10: Life's Map and Compass

Key Text

“Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, proof of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1 (WEB)


Lesson


What is the allure of backcountry travel and recreation? For many it is the unknown, the sense of facing uncertainty and overcoming. There is a challenge in going to an unfamiliar place and surviving. The challenge is thrilling and enlivening. There is always an inherent amount of risk. The key is keeping the level of risk manageable.

There are many tools used by outdoorsman to manage risk and overcome challenges. Wearing proper clothing, carrying shelter, using a water filter, and having a fire source are all essential, fundamental ways of overcoming obstacles. But perhaps the most fundamental and clearly necessary tools are the map and compass.

The map and compass are what make outdoor travel possible. They have been in use for thousands of years. They are still in use today, perhaps more than ever before. Today the map and compass may look different but are still used together in a digital form called GPS. There is a map on the screen and an electronic compass telling direction.

Map and compass are so fundamental for good reasons. They enable us to travel to a previously completely unknown destination and find our way as if we have been there a dozen times. A skilled navigator can even get completely lost in the wilderness and pinpoint their location on a paper map with observation of the surrounding area. Map and compass or GPS allow us to travel confidently into the unknown because we trust the information they provide to be correct and reliable.

Another word for trust is faith. Hebrews 11:1 says faith is the evidence of things not seen. Faith is trusting that the Map and Compass for our life are correct and reliable. When we read the Bible stories about God's faithfulness we can have trust or faith that his promises are reliable. The more we follow the paths and trails on a map, the more confident we become that the map and compass are trustworthy. As we walk the Christian path we learn from experience that God’s Word is faithful. 

As our faith grows, it becomes the assurance of things we hope for such as heaven and Christ’s soon return. As we experience God’s steadfastness to his followers our faith becomes the proof of things we cannot see such as God’s providence and protection.


Questions

Have you ever had to rely on a map and compass or GPS? If so, did you doubt their accuracy? Or did you doubt your ability to use them?

Have you ever doubted the reliability of God’s Word? Or maybe you doubted your ability to have faith in God’s Word?

Do you long to have the type of faith described in Hebrews 1 that gives hope for things not seen?

What can you do to improve your faith in a map and compass? What can you do to increase your faith in God and his Word?


Written by David F. Garner

Photo Credit: David F. Garner

Christian Outdoor Object Lesson 7: Cheating Scales

Key Verse

“A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is his delight.” Proverbs 11:1 KJV

Lesson

You are preparing for a six-day backpacking trip in the mountains with a group of friends. You know you should not carry more than one third of your weight on your back. So you are doing your best to pack light. You have tried to only take what is absolutely necessary. You have all weighed your packs. Now you are planning your food for the trip. You all worked together to share food and come up with a menu to keep your food weight down. You and your group have estimated you each need 1.7 pounds of food per day. Because you already weighed your pack you know it should be 10.2 pounds heavier with the food.

As you shop you keep stopping by the produce section to weight your food items on the produce scale. You check out and leave the store happy you have achieved your goal. Then you get home and split up all the food between the group members. Everyone packs the remaining items and starts weighting their packs. They are quite a bit under weight! At first you are happy, until you realize why they are under weight.

You do not have 10.2 pounds of food in your backpack. This means your backpack might be lighter, but you do not have enough food for the trip. You will go hungry. You think back and try to figure out what happened. You recall that you weighed all the food on the store scale. There is only one explanation. The store scale was not accurate. It said the food was heavier than it really was.

Proverbs 11:1 says, “A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is his delight.” In Bible times all food was sold by weight. Sometimes merchants would purposely make their scales inaccurate so they could cheat people out of money. Cheating is what God hates. The large grocery stores today would probably not purposely make their scales inaccurate. But if you discovered they did not check them and readjust them when they became inaccurate how would that make you feel? You would feel cheated of course. Cheating may seem harmless at first. Cheating in a game doesn't physically harm anyone, right? But cheating can cause real harm. This would become apparent when you started to run out of food before your backpacking trip was over. God hates cheating because it is dishonest. Cheating always causes harm. Honesty always brings delight.

Questions

How can we apply Proverbs 11:1 to our lives today?

Does being honest mean we have to say everything we are thinking?

How should a Christian treat a cheater?

How can you fix the cheating you have done in the past?


Written by David F. Garner
Photo Credit: David F. Garner

Christian Outdoor Object Lesson 6: The Power of Small Things

Key Text


"He said to them, "Because of your unbelief. For most certainly I tell you, if you have the faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you." Matthew 17:20 (WEB)

Lesson

In nature, it often seems like the biggest things are in control. The biggest animals are at the top of the food chain. Big mountains can keep us from traveling quickly in the direction we wish to go. Big storms can destroy mighty trees like they are toothpicks.

But small things in nature have power too. There is a phenomenon known as the butterfly effect. It is a theory that says if one little butterfly flaps its wings at just the right time, the air it moves with its wings can grow and grow and become a strong wind. So strong in fact it may blow away a storm so it doesn’t damage anything. Did you know a butterfly had that much power?

There are other ways small things have great power in nature. Water seems pretty powerless against rock. But over time water can erode away even the strongest rock so there is no rock left.

A tiny little seed can grow into a mighty tree. Its roots can grow so strong that they can crack rock and concrete! Then the tree can produce more seeds until is starts a whole forest.

God has given each of us incredible power too. Even if we feel small and insignificant, we have strong power in our words and actions. A simple smile or kind word can turn someone’s day into a positive one. Helping a stranger carry things or open the door can show them the love of Jesus. Jesus said in Matt. 17:20 that if we have faith the size of a tiny mustard seed in Him than we can move mountains! Jesus told us this so that whenever we feel small we can remember that we have great power. We have the greatest power of Jesus on our side.

Questions

What small acts can you do that would have big effects?

How can we gain faith the size of a mustard seed?

Written by David F. Garner
Photo Credit: Brennon Garner

Christian Outdoor Object Lesson 5: The Rope Of Eternity

Key Text


"Don't you know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run like that, that you may win." 1 Corinthians 9:24 WEB


Lesson

Frances Chan uses a great object lesson is some of his sermons. It is a powerful lesson, especially when done by yourself rather than just seeing or hearing it. So grab a piece of rope if you have on handy, if not picture one in your mind. To do the illustration for yourself, take a piece of long rope, at least 20 feet or 6 meters if possible. This works best if you can stretch the rope out in a straight line. If you are unable that is OK, stretch it out as much as you can. Now grab the very end of the rope so that only a few inches stick past your hand. In other words, hold the rope just a few inches from the end. Do you have it? Look at the rest of the rope. Now look back at the part of the rope in your hand.


Chan compares the rope to a timeline of our life. The few inches of rope between the end and your hand represents our life hear on earth. The rest of the rope represents eternity! Think about this for a minute. Our short time on earth is just a tiny amount of the millions of years of eternity! Chan says, "What blows me away is that some of you, all you think about is [those first few inches]. Its all you think about, your consumed with it." How can we be so short sighted?


Paul gives some very critical advice in 1 Cor. 9:24-27. This is where he likens our life on earth to a race. He points out that we should run in such a way that we will receive the prize of eternal life. We need to stay as focused as someone training for the biggest race of their life to make sure that in the end we are not disqualified.


Like the short amount of rope in hand, we often get distracted with worries of this life. We are concerned about getting a new pair of nice shoes or the newest smartphone. When we grow up we can get completely focused on making money or saving enough for retirement. We need to keep perspective. Our childhood or adulthood is only a couple inches of rope compared to eternity! Psalms 103:15 says our lives are like blades of grass that are hear today and gone tomorrow. What we do in this short, short life determines how we will spend eternity. Remember that every time you grab a piece of rope.


Questions


What are some specific things we can do in our life to make sure we are running our best to reach heaven?

How can we stay focused on eternity and avoid getting distracted by this short life?

What types of things distract you?

What types of things motivate you to stay focused on the race for heaven?


Sources


Frances Chan "What Are You Living For?" Rope Illustration, produced by Nate Hanson,

Apr 1, 2010 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86dsfBbZfWs.




Written by David F. Garner

Photo Credit: David F. Garner

Christian Outdoor Object Lesson 4: How Many Drops to Forgiveness

Key Verse


"Jesus said to him, "I don't tell you until seven times, but, until seventy times seven." Matthew 18:22 WEB


Lesson


There is a Hawk Nelson song called Drops in the Ocean. One of the lines in the chorus says, “If you could count the times I’d say you are forgiven It’s more than the drops in the ocean.” Pause a minute to ponder that. Now let's see if we can calculate how many drops are in the ocean. If we use the SI volume unit of one drop (gtt) then there are 75,708.2 drops in one gallon (US). Do you think you have sinned that many times in your life? Let's see if we can figure out how many gallons might be in one of the world’s oceans. The Arctic Ocean is the smallest of the world’s five oceans. It is about 10 times smaller than the Pacific Ocean which is the biggest.1 The Arctic Ocean has about 5 quintillion gallons (US). That is a 5 with 18 zeros after it (4.95 x 10^18) (18,750,000 km3).*

I can’t even imagine a number that big. It is beyond comprehension. I don’t know if I will, but I hope I don’t sin that many times in my life! But we haven’t even finished our calculation yet. If we multiply 4.95 x 10^18 (18,750,000 km3)* or 5 quintillion gallons by 75,708.2 drops per gallon than that equals… are you ready… 3.75 trevigintillion drops (3.75 x 10^23). I don’t even know how to say that word --trevigintillion! To illustrate this incomprehensible number, here is a simple example. If you sinned 1000 times per second, it would take you 118.8 million years to sin as many times as there are drops in the Arctic Ocean. What an incredible God we serve!

Peter asked Jesus in Matthew 18 how many times to forgive others. “Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy times seven.” Jesus meant that we should not keep track of how many times we forgive others, because God doesn’t either. The Bible promises that God will remember our sins no longer, and in Micah 7:19, “You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.”


Questions


Is there a person who you feel you have forgiven more times than they deserve?

Is there someone who may have forgiven you more times than you deserve?

What can we do when we feel like we cannot forgive someone another time?


Sources


1www.kidzworld.com/article/1751-world-geography-facts-water


*http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/mgg/global/etopo1_ocean_volumes.html


Written by David F. Garner

Photo Credit: David F. Garner

Christian Outdoor Object Lessons 2: Rock Climbing and Prayer

Key Verse

“He only is my rock and my salvation, My stronghold; I shall not be greatly shaken.” Psalm 62:2 KJV

Lesson

As you cling to the rock, sweat drips off your brow, your hands are getting slick and clammy. You breathe rapidly and you can feel your heart beating in your body. You are lead climbing, 75 feet off the ground and 6 feet past your last anchor. You are still a few feet from the next bolt. You know if you fall now it will be at least a 12-foot drop. But you’re not sure if you can hold on much longer. Then the doubts start to flash before your mind. Did you place that last quick-draw correctly? Did you back clip? Did you check to make sure it was bomber? Can your belayer even see you after that last roof? Does he even know what you are going through? Or is he down there not paying attention, distracted by his new girlfriend he brought along?

Sometimes in life, we go through similar situations. We struggle and struggle up the difficulties of life. Sometimes its fun. Other times it becomes real and serious, even dangerous. We work hard to create anchors in our life. We try to set them to catch us in case we slip. We wear our seatbelt. We have some money saved aside. We have some solid friends in case our relationships don’t work out. We assume our parents will always be there to support and help us. But can we always trust those anchors to be there?

What if our friends move away? What if we don’t have enough money for an emergency? What if our parents split up, or even die? Do we have a second back up? Are our anchors in life redundant? In some situations, they may be. But if we start to think about it we may realize they are not. When the going gets tough we may start to doubt that our anchors will hold up.

As Christians, we have another Anchor. Our anchor to the Rock that David speaks about in Psalms is the Word of God. It is there to assure us that God is real and who He claims to be. Just as important is our rope, our connection to the Anchor—prayer. This is how we stay connected. When the going gets rough and we can’t double check the anchor, we have prayer at our disposal. It is the life-link to God our Rock. We can know that our God is always listening, even if our earthly belayer gets distracted by their girlfriend or boyfriend.

Questions

How do you stay anchored to the Rock?

What is your favorite verse in the anchor (Word of God)?

Has prayer ever kept you connected when everything else has fallen away?

Written by David F. Garner
Photo Credit: Pexels via www.pixabay.com