Blue fescue is gorgeous! It sports tuffs of fine bluish-green leaves that color team beautifully with mounds of gold, orange, and maroon daisies. Together, fescue and daisies make a superb floral blanket. I like blue fescue so much I planted it in my back yard.
How did I know about it? I saw it growing someplace; I got some of my own.
Yesterday I tripped on a door frame. Conclusions come to mind: The person who refuses to use their eyes will fall down in broad daylight.
I’m thinking these days that looking around pays off, particularly when gardening, and walking — or driving.
Two of my friends were recently in car accidents. In both cases, the other driver wasn’t paying attention, slammed into them, hard. I’ve been looking more carefully as I pass into intersections — self-preservation.
My doctor told me this week to quit drinking coffee. Yikes! He observed that it might be affecting me in an unhealthy way. Interesting, because I have often observed coffee affecting me in really good ways. It has often made my brain function. But I hadn’t observed a negative side effect. He did. I quit. The other part of my body is better. I am now, however, having trouble concentrating.
Accurate observations and the conclusions that flow from them can make life better. I just came back from the gym. Why? It is my observation that I look and feel better when I am regularly working out.
I know some very spiritual people who live with a lot of “I feel like God wants me to …” and “I think the Lord is saying,” and “I’m just trusting God to do whatever he wants.”
I say things like this too sometimes. These are good people; they have a lot of faith, but there is sometimes a problem with the eyes-only-on-God approach. With only that, you can trip over a door frame.
Looking at one thing we miss another. We may miss the blue fescue. Looking one way we are hit from another. We may be broadsided in an intersection by a car that ran the light. Looking at one benefit, we may miss the harm in the benefit. Coffee may have some unhealthy side effects for some people.
Here is the deal. Christians should keep their eyes open. There is nothing spiritual about being inattentive to reality. I was talking to a Christian recently who seemed to have a deep mistrust in science. He kept pointing out how science might not have it right in regard to the age of the universe, the origins of man or genetics influence on certain human behaviors. Interestingly, he isn’t a scientist, but he is skeptical.
That seems pretty par for the course with the Christians these days. I can’t remember last time I heard a sermon encouraging Christians to learn from science, to study science, to use the scientific method, to be better observers, to base their decisions on evidence, to test all their theories against reality, to “test everything,” although that phrase is straight from scripture and almost all true believers head to the doctor’s office for a scientific analysis of their bodies as soon as they get sick. There we all want them to “test everything.”
I love the proverbs, the wisdom of them, the observational truths they hold out to us, their science. “Go to the ant … and be wise!” In other words, base your life on what you can see around you, on evidence, on observation, on good science.
Jesus himself was very scientifically minded. He kept observing and pointing to reality. Consider the birds. Consider the lilies of the field. Consider the sower. Consider the sin. Which of you is without it?
” Look,” Jesus was always saying, behold this, see that, think about this, conclude from that. Look at clouds, rain, sun, seed, soil, rock, field, farmer — and grow wise. Observation? It’s smart; it’s helpful; it can be trusted; it’s holy.
Lately, I observed that I need more sleep. It comes from not drinking coffee. I’m getting healthier, by observation, and action.
Lately, I observed that God often doesn’t interfere and stop people from harming each other. They harm. They run red lights. Nothing stops them. They crash other people. I’m sad, and more vigilant.
Today, I observed the rain falling here in Southern California, after months of dryness, and am reminded that God rains down refreshment on all of us. He is good, even when we aren’t. I see this. It is right in front of me. My blue fescue is being watered.
It’s an observation, and it’s good.
It’s science.
It’s more than that.
Staying in touch with reality, it’s holy living.
Thrive! 