Nature's Compositions

I love nature. From a mountain top, feel the cool wind as you gaze at the hills below, each blanketed by a quilt of autumn colors. Picture a cool bubbling brook cascading over silver colored rocks glistening with the morning sun, draped overhead by a symphony of scarlet maple, yellow birch, red cherry, and orange oak. Or imagine a lone sea gull gliding over thundering Niagara Falls into the mist of a rainbow lit by the serene setting sun.

The month of October has taken me from hills of the Adirondacks in upper New York to the famous foliage of Vermont, from the White Mountains in New Hampshire to the wilderness trails of the Smokey Mountains in Tennessee. This is my R and R. I have also had the chance to fellowship with Filipino pastors, speak in some churches, spend time with Martha and Hannah, and meet old friends. But enjoying God’s creation gave me an interesting observation.

When autumn colors the trees, the cameras come out. I, like others, want to take the perfect picture that captures the beautiful essence of fall. But it’s an elusive venture. First, the moments of maximum color are brief, maybe only a few days, and then it’s gone. Some trees may be past their peak while others are still showing green.

Secondly, the weather must cooperate. Colors are at their best when the previous winter has been cold and the summer has been wet. If winds are strong, the leaves don’t stay on long enough to show off their colors. During peak season, cloudy days mute the trees vibrant glow. I’ve also learned that the morning light and evening sun best illuminate the hues and tones of the leaves.

Thirdly, I’m so limited. For every seemingly picture-perfect spot, another soon comes along that surpasses. And for each one that surpasses, I know there exists millions of better compositions that I cannot access because the road doesn’t go there or the trail doesn’t pass there. I see only one pretty drop in an ocean of magnificent possibilities.

So what’s the analogy? I minister in a country of millions. I want every Filipino to hear the saving message of Jesus Christ. But I’m so limited. I can’t minister to all of them, but I can minister to the ones that my path takes me to. (Notice I have to be on the path with the intent of sharing Christ to others.) The conditions will not be ripe for each one, but when the wind of the Holy Spirit penetrates a weary soul and the light of the gospel shines through, a changed life becomes a glorious composition.

There is something else I can do. I can’t take a picture of every ‘perfect’ autumn scene. But I could train an army of picture takers and scatter them throughout the most optimal locations. That would increase my odds of getting prize winning compositions. Likewise, I can train Filipinos to carry the life-saving message of Jesus Christ to the neediest places. This is my master plan. This is my prayer request. That the Lord would raise up an army of Filipino men and women who can evangelize and disciple other Filipinos into new creations colored by the transformation that can only be made by the Perfect Son.