Lasting Lessons from Living Off the Land

During my growing-up years on the farm, I learned important moral and ethical lessons that became a foundation for my adult life.  As I explained in an earlier blog (Click HERE.), I was enlightened morally and ethically by the discipline of loving parents who pointed me on my path to God.  At first, I frequently needed the application of force to my back-end, both at home and at school.  Gradually, my growing respect for human authority led me to recognize my responsibility to an even higher Authority-- the God of all creation.

As I advanced in education, I learned that God reveals His dominion over creation in ways that are obvious to all.  For example, the existence of the Law of Gravity became obvious after several painful encounters.  Less obvious are laws of creation discoverable through scientific inquiry (e.g. laws of heredity and genetics).  These understandings eventually led me to recognize and adopt the principle of stewardship of my God-given gifts of time, talents, and treasures. 

At age 61, I became a blogger and named my blog, “Oikonomia.”  This odd word comes from the Greek word for stewardship, οἰκονομία, pronounced oy-kon-om-ee'-ah which combines oikos (Greek, “house”) and nomos (“to manage”).  This derivation gives us our English word, “economy,” suggesting that every “house” or “system” functions according to an “economy” based on certain laws or rules of order.  The “house” can be any system that requires management such as a farm, any private corporation, or civil government.

The concept of stewardship offers an ideal picture or model of how we ought to think and act; namely, as servant stewards and managers of God’s creation in keeping with His revelation in the Bible, and His natural revelation within the created order (Romans 1: 20).   Since 2008, Oikonomia has been addressing topics of science, faith, and culture based on the Christian stewardship model.  Here in this blog, we will consider whether principles of stewardship and free market capitalism are adequate to address what appear to be a widening gap between the materially rich and the poor.  Or, is it time for us to try another economic system, such as socialism and communism?

Back to my early life, what better place is there than a farm to learn that we are stewards within a “system” that operates by certain laws which require our respect in order to live and flourish?   Using the farm as our example, we will now enumerate some of the principles and values that should characterize good stewardship of any “house:”
1)  My Father’s World
2)  Hand of God’s Providence
3)  Respect for the Order of Creation
4)  Merit-based Privileges
5)  No Free Lunch
6)  Delayed Gratification
7)  Rewards of a Fruitful Harvest
8)  Responsibility to Share with Others

My Father’s World
When I was a young preschool farm boy, my physical world was the farm.  To me, my father was the “lord of the farm.”  He urged me politely and, if necessary, by “persuasion,” to join in the discipline of completing my farm chores responsibly.  My father taught me to work hard and live responsibly.  I was motivated by his example as I worked with him.  He was strong but he also worked with considerable arthritic pain which motivated me all the more to help him “carry the load” of farm work.

When Sunday came, we refrained as much as possible from our labor and our family worshiped God with other people of faith.  My father was accustomed to teach and pray within our assembly, and he tried to live a godly life during the week.  I now realize that my parents’ choice to lead us in faithfully attending church and serving God was a valuable example for me as I eventually married and established priorities in my family.

Among other things, my father taught me the necessary skills of feeding and caring for our large flock of chickens; and gathering, washing, grading, and boxing eggs to sell.  I kept meticulous records from day to day and tallied the income from each dozen sold either at our home or in local grocery stores.  Our farm also produced young Holstein heifers which we sold to dairy farmers; and we grew wheat, corn, oats, and cantaloupes which we sold either in town or at our roadside market.

Hand of God’s Providence
Gradually, I learned that while our family depended upon the income from our work on the farm, our farm in turn was part of the much larger world beyond our 200 acres of land.  Our income from the sale of the products of our labor depended upon the willingness and financial means of our buyers to purchase them.  Our buyers in turn were subjects of the conditions in the larger economy and policies within which they had to operate.  I was humbled to think of the complexity of the market economy and even more humbled to realize that my Father and our farm was only a tiny speck in the larger oikos operating under the providential hand of our Heavenly Father.

The concept of stewardship has no basis without a foundation of faith and recognition of our dependence upon a providential God who owns and sustains His creation.  He is the “Giver of every good and perfect gift that comes down from above” (James 1: 17).  It is this benevolent God who has appointed us to be good stewards of the Earth (Genesis 2: 15).  Psalm 65: 9 declares: 
You visit the earth and cause it to overflow;
   You greatly enrich it;
The stream of God is full of water;
   You prepare their grain, for thus You prepare the earth.

Respect for the Order of Creation
As we have discussed elsewhere [Click HERE.], God’s call to Adam was to till (serve) and keep (preserve) the Garden.  Even before I learned the Hebrew meaning of “till and keep,” I was privileged to be part of tilling and keeping the soil of our farm.  We practiced contour farming, crop rotation, and application of livestock and “green manure,” all of these in keeping with the created order and sound ecological principles.  By practicing sustainable farming as it is now called, we were blessed to receive a bountiful harvest during most years.

Reflecting back on my adolescent development as a farm boy under the influence of my father, I am thankful for how he respected the natural order as relates to what is fitting at each stage of my growth and development.  He refrained from requiring too much of me as an elementary school age laborer whether it be pacing my involvement in handling farm machinery or in my understanding of sexuality.  For example, during my pre-adolescent years, my father would assign chores to direct me away from the stable area where our prize Holstein bull was called into action to service a receptive heifer.  Part of my maturing as a young man was to be invited to help in this process as well as to have conversations about gender and sexuality. I now realize the importance of the family unit as God’s plan for helping young lives understand their identity and purpose.

Merit-Based Privileges
Most of the advancements that I experienced as I grew older on the farm were privileges afforded based on my being responsible for lesser assignments.  Today, we hear much about “merit-based” employment, pay, and promotion; and we also hear of the tragic consequences of employing unqualified or inexperienced individuals.  Jesus said, He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much (Luke 16: 10). 

Expectations placed upon me as a farm boy served in the development of my moral and ethical conscience.  When I shirked my duties or did not give my best effort, I was not afraid of physical punishment as much as dreading the sense that I had disappointed my father.  Since those days, I have come to believe that “the fear of the Lord” above all means to “fear causing grief to my Lord” by my moral failings without repentance.  “Working out our salvation” (Philippians 2: 12) does not mean that salvation is merit-based; Christ has already paid the price for our justification (Romans 5: 1).  He has set us free to walk in the power of His Spirit so that “His commands are not burdensome” and we can do those things pleasing in His sight (1 John 3: 22).

No Free Lunch
We have already cited Genesis 2: 15 which contains God’s command that humans are to “till and keep” the Garden.  Already in Genesis 1 we see God Himself working and then resting from His work.  The Judeo-Christian faith does not condone lazy or slothful behavior.  The Apostle Paul warned the Thessalonian church, if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat (1 Thessalonians 3: 10b).

There was always work to do on our farm.  While we trusted God to provide the sunshine and rain for our crops, it was our responsibility to plow the soil, plant the seed, and provide the necessary nutrients and cultivation necessary for a successful harvest.  Our survival as a farm family depended upon the annual income from our harvests.  We were reminded of our daily dependence because our fields and garden provided much of the food for our kitchen table and income to purchase the rest.

I learned from farm life that there is no “free lunch” in this life.  I also learned this principle from a classic story, The Little Red Hen, which has been told and retold in different versions.  What follows is similar to the version I read as a boy:

“Once upon a time, there was a little red hen who scratched about the barnyard until she uncovered some grains of wheat.

She called her neighbors and said, "If we plant this wheat, we shall have bread to eat. Who will help me plant it?"

"Not I," said the cow.
"Not I," said the duck.
"Not I," said the pig.
"Not I," said the goose.
"Then I will," said the little red hen, and she did.

The wheat grew tall and ripened into golden grain. "Who will help me reap my wheat?" asked the little red hen.

"Not I," said the cow.
"Not I," said the duck.
"Not I," said the pig.
"Not I," said the goose.
"Then I will," said the little red hen, and she did.

At last, it came time to bake the bread. "Who will help me bake the bread?" asked the little red hen.

"Not I," said the cow.
"Not I," said the duck.
"Not I," said the pig.
"Not I," said the goose.
"Then I will," said the little red hen, and she did.

She baked five loaves and held them up for her neighbors to see. Then, the little red hen as was her habit said,

"Who will help me eat the Bread?"
"I will," said the cow.
"I will," said the duck.
"I will," said the pig.
"I will," said the goose.
"I will," said the little red hen, but you will NOT!

The fundamental importance of being a diligent worker is realized not only on farm and factory; but it is also evident throughout the natural order of creation as we observe the creatures great and small.   Proverbs 6: 6 and following points us to the ant as a revelation of a “work ethic” in non-human creatures (see quote on Right):

Delayed Gratification
The farm is also a great place to learn the virtue of patience.  The Apostle James used a farm analogy to teach patience: The farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until it gets the early and late rains (James 5: 7).  The Middle Eastern farmer has to wait for the “early rains” to soften the soil for planting; then patiently wait for the “late rains” in the Spring to mature the crop.

When my farm chores were finished, I loved to read, so I loved to collect books.  I was thrilled when a local grocery chain began to sell The Golden Book Encyclopedia (Western Printing and Lithographing Company, 1960).  One volume was made available each week.  So, I had to patiently wait (sometimes straining to my limit) to get home from school to learn whether mom and dad had brought the next volume home.  My weekly wait was well worth it in the short-term and has taught me the blessing of delayed gratification in many areas of my marriage and professional life.  Indeed, now that I am old, my anticipation of Heaven’s glory has become my greatest joy.

Rewards of a Fruitful Harvest
Patiently waiting for gratification is a major part of crop farming.  For example, raising 4 acres of cantaloupes each year employed us in planting, thinning, hoeing and weeding from the time school ended in the spring until the harvest in August.  When we were tempted to sample a cantaloupe without waiting until it had ripened, we were greeted with a flat, unpleasant taste.  But when the melons were ripe, my cousin and I would whip out our pocket knives and feast on any delicious melon that was not perfect enough for market.  All of the blood, sweat, and tears of our summer labor in the fields was richly rewarded by the harvest.

When I married Abby, God blessed us with a family, and eventually after patiently waiting, we were able to own enough land to have a large garden.  We were able to teach our children, Bradley and Melinda, some of the lessons we had learned from our farm backgrounds.  While digging potatoes and snapping beans were not their favorite chores, the rewards of fresh green beans, corn on the cob, and fried okra on our dinner table reminded us of God’s bountiful provision and reward for our labors.

Responsibility to Share with Others
The Christian faith calls us not only to be thankful for the bounty of God’s provision whether from the farm or from a garden in the city.  In rural communities like ours, it was common for neighbors to share the harvest of fruits, vegetables, etc. with one another or even pay for services with products from farm or garden.

In recent times, churches in our experience offer a harvest table where members can share from their bounty with others in the Body of Christ.  The account of the early church in the Book of Acts describes how the believers were together and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need (Acts 2: 44-45).  These believers faced considerable rejection and persecution but their selfless, voluntary generosity became a powerful testimony to unbelievers and the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved (v. 47).

Christianity and Capitalism
I have shared eight (8) stewardship principles contained within the lessons that I began to learn during my experience on the farm.  I am still learning from such character-building experiences.  These principles have followed me into my old age and into a culture that is vastly different from that of my growing-up years.  Our family farm was nested in an agrarian community in which the majority of families at least professed faith in God and loved the freedoms and opportunities offered in our country.  I have explained how important our faith in God’s providence was to our family values, worship, and work ethic.

Many of these truths are among those our Founding Fathers considered “self-evident truths” which are famously listed in the Declaration of Independence; namely “that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of happiness.”  Our Founders understood that it is God who established the created order and desires that each person flourish by practicing personal initiative and good stewardship of their time, talents, and treasures in order to benefit from the opportunities they receive from the hand of Providence and from caring people serving in various capacities.  When these stewardship qualities are exercised, they have resulted in an economy based on free market capitalism—an economy based on individual freedom of choice, right to hold private property, advancement based on merit, profit motive, competition, and justice and the rule of law.

Christianity Counterfeited?
God has revealed in His Word that we are created in His image (Genesis 1: 27) with the capacity to express love toward Him and to our neighbor.  But Genesis 3 reveals that we are fallen creatures who although professing to be wise, act like fools (Romans 1:  22).  We are capable of loving God and others, and we discern when there is injustice and inequity among us.  But our efforts to solve our problems often ignore our need for transformation of heart and mind (Romans 12: 1-3).  Our well-meaning intentions lead us into a godless, humanistic approach to solving perceived social injustices.  One consequence of excluding God’s truth from the equation is to focus on the material world as expressed in an atheistic, materialistic worldview.   

Those who aspire to a materialistic worldview point to free market capitalism as the cause of the widening gap between the rich and the poor.  They propose to close the gap and remove class distinctions by replacing private ownership of goods and services with a collective ownership and means of production.  The principles of stewardship which I learned from the farm no longer apply:
1)  NOT My Father’s World:  Far from being “lord” or owner of our farm, my father is just a worker of land that is part of a collective; family members are workers, or “comrades.”
2)  NOT the Providential Hand of God:  Rather, we must look to the economic planners who decide what is best based on a supposed scientific understanding of Earth’s climate and weather.
3)  NO Respect for the Order of Creation:   There is no Creator; human needs and behaviors are understood as instincts that have evolved to favor survival.
4)  “NO Free Lunch” is replaced with “Free Lunch” for those who are deemed the oppressed and who deserve special “help” and, retribution if deemed necessary.
5)  NO Delayed Gratification as long as the collective can supply our material wants “now.”
6)  NO Merit-based Privileges:  they are the cause of unwanted class distinctions
7)  Rewards of a Fruitful Harvest consist of equal returns for all regardless of the labor invested.
8)  Responsibility to Share with Others – NOT from generous hearts, but enforced by the collective

Ben Shapiro has pointed out that socialism has its own moral flaws: “Socialism violates at least three of the Ten Commandments: It turns government into God, it legalizes thievery, and it elevates covetousness.  Discussions of income inequality, after all, aren't about prosperity but about petty spite. Why should you care how much money I make, so long as you are happy?”

But Hasn’t Capitalism Failed?
In spite of known failings of socialism and communism, many today have lost faith in free market capitalism.  After all, the rich seem to get richer while affordability of housing and other basic needs seem more and more a distant dream.  Many who profess faith in God condemn the wealthy and corporations while calling for a more just distribution of wealth.  How can a sincere Christ-follower believe in capitalism?  Where is the church of Christ in the face of so much inequity in our society and around the world?

We have addressed the strengths and weaknesses of capitalism and socialism in an earlier blog entitled “There’s No Such Thing as Private Property” [Click HERE.]  However, we believe it is correct to say that God’s purpose for His Church through Christ’s death and resurrection is His best and only plan for redemption of fallen man.  Likewise, there is no better economic system than capitalism to allow the freedom in which humans can respond to their calling to steward their God-given abilities in creative and cooperative ways for the betterment of others and their own livelihood.  But like the church, capitalism can become corrupt and fall into ill repute when the principles of God's Word are ignored and selfishness rules.

John R.W. Stott, in writing about authentic Christianity, gave this example: 

"There was a Hindu professor in India who once identified one of his students as a Christian and said to him: “If you Christians lived like Jesus Christ, India would be at your feet tomorrow.” I think India would be at their feet today if we Christians lived like Christ.  From the Islamic world, the Reverend Iskandar Jadeed, a former Arab Muslim, has said “If all Christians were Christians—that is, Christlike—there would be no more Islam today.”²

 Perhaps we could add, “If all Christians were Christians—that is, Christlike, there would be no need for government welfare programs and no fascination toward socialism or communism."

Today, relatively few boys and girls have the opportunity to grow up on a farm where they can learn the basic principles I have outlined in this blog.  However, if children are introduced to Jesus Christ and their faith is nurtured in a Christian home with the aid of a healthy local church, they will have opportunity to mature in like manner regardless of their culture.  May we who profess Christ be truly Christlike in our needy world.

Reference:
¹ The Little Red Hen, An Old English Folk Tale was modified from The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Little Red Hen, by Florence White Williams

² Stott, John R.W. 2009.  “Becoming More Like Christ.”   C.S. Lewis Institute.  Click HERE.

    Read or listen to a more expanded version of The Little Red Hen.  Click HERE.

Stewardship: Aligning Work with God’s Providence

In spite of the reported gains in economic growth, gross domestic product (GDP), and employment numbers, many Americans will agree that we are failing in the following related areas:  

•  education
•  vocational counseling
•  job training and retraining
•  worker wages and satisfaction
•  upward mobility opportunities 

None of these have kept pace with increases in GDP during the past half-century.  The result, according to Oren Cass, senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research, has been
•  worker dissatisfaction,
•  disruption of families
•  instability in whole communities
•  a surge in drug addiction
•  lowered life expectancy.

In spite of the immensity of this complex set of challenges facing our divided culture, there is reason for hope.  Arthur Brooks, president of the American Enterprise Institute, points out that people on all sides of the issue want a better quality of life for all Americans.  All that is needed, he adds, is for people of diverse opinions to sit down together and discuss the best ways to accomplish the goal. 

"How can we lift up the world, starting with...the margins...?"

Brooks has just released a movie documentary entitled The Pursuit in which he visits a community in Appalachia and a homeless shelter in New York; then, interviews people as far away as the streets of Barcelona and Mumbai.  His question--“How can we lift up the world, starting with those at the margins of society?” The film promo adds, “Along the way, [Brooks] discovers the secrets not only to material progress for the least fortunate, but also true and lasting happiness for all.”

Work and Workers Misunderstood:  When some experts think of “lifting up the world,” they think in terms of better and affordable education as a solution.  But Oren Cass disagrees.  In his recent book, The Once and Future Worker (Encounter Books, 2018) Cass writes: “Despite the nation doubling per-pupil spending and attempting countless educational reforms, test scores look no better than they did forty years ago.  Most Americans still do not achieve even a community college degree.”  To add injury to these disappointing statistics, consider that the federal student loan program has driven up the cost of a college education and created a new class of young American debtors.  In the words of Mike Rowe, “We are lending money we don’t have to kids who can’t pay it back to train them for jobs that no longer exist.”

In recent years, a number of scholars and leaders have begun to focus attention away from “wealth redistribution and welfare” and instead, toward improving the “welfare of workers” and their “work ethic.”  According to Cass, we need to shift our priority from researching, wooing, and satisfying the consumer to the priority of encouraging the worker.  In Cass’s words,

“We got exactly what we thought we wanted:  strong overall economic growth and a large GDP (gross domestic product), rising material living standards, a generous safety net, rapid improvements in environmental quality, extraordinary affordable flat-screen televisions and landscaping services.  Yet we gave up something we took for granted:  a labor market in which the nation’s diverse array of families and communities could support themselves.  …What we have been left with is a society teetering atop eroded foundations, lacking structural integrity, and heading toward collapse."

Work and Workers Matter:   According to Cass, “work matters” and fulfilling work promotes strong families and communities.  In The Once and Future Worker, Cass offers his “Working Hypothesis;” namely, “that a labor market in which workers can support strong families and communities is the central determinant of long-term prosperity and should be the central focus of public policy.”

Regarding “strong families,” Cass cites well documented statistics that children of two-parent families have “better physical and mental health, less substance abuse, and better educational outcomes.”  Furthermore, he notes that “…family characteristics within a community also influence each other”—in negative ways as communities deteriorate; but in positive ways as “dense networks of relationships” are established.  “The safety net offered by friends, family, and church will always be more responsive and tailored than a government bureaucracy—and is likely to come with some much-needed moral judgment or a swift kick in the pants.”

Readers who hold to a biblical worldview can detect in Cass’s “Working Hypothesis” a call to return to a moral and spiritual foundation for family and community.   Marvin Olasky, in a recent WORLD Magazine review of Cass’s book, points to the Dominion and Stewardship Mandate revealed by God in Genesis 1 and 2.  Olasky writes, “God could have given Adam a perpetual vacation.  Instead, he put him to physical and intellectual work right away, caring for the garden and naming animals.”  He adds, “… [evidence shows] us how living without work does not make us happy and does not glorify God.  The Sabbath commandment is six-sevenths a work commandment.  This is important to remember at a time when Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, one of the world’s richest persons, is among those calling for a universal basic income (UBI), even for people who don’t work.”

To summarize, it is clear that our culture faces a growing crisis that stems from the gradual abandonment and misunderstanding of the interests of workers and the qualities that support worker satisfaction as well as family and community stability.  Instead of valuing quality products through encouraging good workers and workmanship, our emphasis has shifted to increasing GDP and consumption.  Instead of promoting the biblical ethic which promises God’s blessing on quality work that reflects His glory and serves others, workers are supposed to work for the sake of a larger GDP which supposedly guarantees satisfaction through a larger piece of the “economic pie.”  Thankfully, as I have noted, there is an increasing call to revalue good work and a healthy “work ethic.”  The call comes from both secular experts and theologians.

A Theology of Work:  Those readers seeking to delve deeper into the Judeo-Christian “theology of work” will find Pastor Timothy Keller’s book, Every Good Endeavor: Connecting Your Work to God’s Work, an excellent and practical source.   The theology of work is based on the biblical teaching that the design of work rests on our right relationship with God.  According to Genesis 1-2, God created the material universe, found satisfaction in His work (Genesis 1: 10, 12, 18, 21, 25), and rested from His work (Genesis 2: 2-3).  Then amazingly, God appointed mankind to exercise dominion over the rest of His creation as stewards whom He commissioned to work in harmony with Him.   How exactly does a worker apply biblical stewardship in the practical “day-to-day?”

According to Keller, when we make God our foundation, He “keeps all other factors—work, friendships and family, leisure and pleasure—from becoming so important to [us] that they become addicting and distorted.”  Without a larger, God-centered purpose in life, our work can become an idol.  When idolatry invades our lives, according to Dorothy Sayers (author of Creed or Chaos? as cited by Keller) we become vulnerable to the sin of sloth (or acedia), “the sin of the empty soul.”  Sloth opens the door of our lives to allow other deadly sins to enter—covetousness, envy, gluttony, wrath, and lust.  

In contrast, when our work mirrors God’s creative work, “we create culture that conforms to His will and vision for human beings…”  God is not only our Creator but also the Keeper of His creation through what we call His providence.  That is, according to Keller, “God does not simply create;  He also loves, cares for, and nurtures His creation…

 But how does His keeping providential care reach us?  [According to] Martin Luther, God’s loving care comes to us largely through the labor of others.  Work is a major instrument of God’s providence; it is how He sustains the human world.”

But isn’t God’s providence also evident in ways beyond the work of Christ-followers?  Keller explains that by common grace, people who are not Christ-followers contribute much to the human workplace.  However, the steward of God’s provision has a spiritually empowered commission to do his or her work distinctively for the glory of God.  Work that glorifies God reveals itself as an extension of God’s providential work—i.e. it is done in a way worthy of God's approval and for the good of our neighbor.  Indeed, a the worker who seeks to perform his or her work in alignment with God’s providence is practicing stewardship in its most basic form—work as an act of worshiping God.

The manifestation of God’s glory through our stewardship of work will take on different forms according to the nature of the work to which God has called us.  God’s calling, or “vocation” (from Latin, vocare = calling) is not just for pastors or priests, but for the farmer, mechanic, engineer, musician, doctor, homemaker, educator, etc.  You will find great insight into your particular calling from the way Keller and his co-writer of Every Good Endeavor, Katherine Leary Alsdorf, thoughtfully apply their theology of work to various vocations in clear and practical ways. 

Under Pastor Keller’s leadership and the direction of Katherine Leary Alsdorf, Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City established the Center for Faith and Work.  The aim of  the CFW is to understand the intersection of Christian faith and work, and then to work out the applications of this integration for the renewal of communities within New York City.  Its mission is to equip Christ-followers in their personal vocations to integrate their faith and their work as members of their residential and professional communities.  This effort is especially timely as New York City and many American cities and communities try to accommodate the arrival of immigrants, many of whom have a willingness to work but who need acculturation based upon the transforming message of the Gospel.

Your Comments are always welcomed.  I know that many of you prefer to read, reflect, and then move on without comment.  However, I value your ideas because they often help me see issues from another perspective.  Meanwhile, may you be encouraged in the work to which God calls you to do—and I hope you can worship God in your work.

Human Creativity As a Reflection of the Creator

Many of us remember occasions when we’ve been enthralled by the beauty of forest, meadow, seaside, or desert.  For me, it’s the more “natural” or “wild places” of God’s creation that thrill the most; and generally not the urban environment.  However, this past weekend, I was enveloped in a literal sea of human creativity in downtown Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Ann Arbor Street Art Fair, Ann Arbor, MI

The 2014 Ann Arbor Street Art Fair occupied numerous streets in downtown Ann Arbor and extended onto the beautiful campus of the University of Michigan.   What a feast for the eyes as my wife Abby and I, and our son Brad and his wife Raquel walked the tree-shaded streets, each lined on both sides with the booths for artists from all around the country to display their creativity.  Paintings and photographs framed in all sizes and shapes; and in all manner of style and coloration.  Wood, delicate plant stems, and metal of all kinds were carved, shaved, pressed, twisted or imprinted into lifelike forms or intriguing abstractions.  Clay pottery was displayed in a rich variety of shapes and sizes, frequently glazed to produce inviting colors and patterns.  A memorable booth looked like a garden of colorful flowers and foliage fashioned in the finest detail-- out of clay!

Landscape necklace pendant, L & M Arts

Leather products and different fabrics were fashioned into garments, shoes, and hats.  I was intrigued by what appeared to be oil paintings on canvas that were actually collages of carefully chosen, dyed fabrics pieced together to represent portraits and beautiful landscapes.  Dean Myton’s booth from his Ironwood & Vine Studio in Akron, OH displayed lamps and other “functional art from found objects, unique recycled materials, and fabricated steel.”  Dean’s aim is to apply his creativity to give new beauty and functionality to materials otherwise destined to the scrap heap.  His slogan:  “Recycle, Rethink, Reuse, Rejoice.”

Many booths featured fine jewelry fashioned from metal and/or mineral components.  Abby and I were particularly drawn to a booth provided by Laurel and Michael Davern, owners of L & M Arts, in Lancaster, NY.  Abby chose a landscape necklace of Argentium sterling silver, hand-pierced to form wind-swept trees with a bird in flight, accented with copper and brass plating.  Of course, with such subject matter, friendly artisans, and the sweet smile of my lovely wife, how could I resist buying the necklace for her?

Larry and Elaine Schneider, Naturewood Art

Larry Schneider from Pittsburgh, and his wife Elaine, greeted us with warm enthusiasm as we admired their Naturewood Art featuring “paintings of nature on nature’s canvases.”   Larry paints birds and other wildlife on tree trunk cross sections.  Then, he produces a 3-D effect by adding appropriate objects from the landscape—driftwood, barbed wire, dried bones, etc.  My favorite was his Meadowlark painted as if singing while perched on a weathered fence post.

As we walked from booth to booth along the shady streets filled with art admirers, three things stirred my heart in praise to God, the Eternal Artist.  First, I began to realize that the amazing creativity on display here was an expression of the image of God Who created and endowed humankind with many of His personal traits.  These God-given traits include our creativity—and to our ability to admire the creativity of others.  Our admiration of the creative arts reaches deep within us.  Much deeper than the cognitive level, artistic expression can reach into our wellspring of joy and satisfaction, or it may stir up sadness or compassion.  I wonder if any other creatures can “enjoy” the wonders of creation like we can; I doubt it.

Meadowlark, by Naturewood Art

Second, I was reminded of the lavishness God has displayed in His creation.  In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1).  Both God and humankind in His image are “creators” but only God created matter ex nihilo, “out of nothing.”  And, from that original formless and void state of creation (Genesis 1: 2), the Master Artisan and Engineer shaped the landscape of Earth and populated it biologically.  Every element of creation is designed like a deep treasure chest from which humans as stewards can draw out a seemingly endless variety of forms.  Among animals, God created basic kinds (canine, feline, bovine, etc.), each rich in genetic potential from which both natural selection and human artificial selection have produced widely divergent forms.   Likewise, humans have developed plant varieties through horticultural and genetic procedures.  The rich variety of biological, mineral, and metallic resources of God’s creation provides a marvelous “palette” to supply both the substance and the inspiration for the artisan.

Finally, I was most inspired by a sort of “one-act drama” performed at each booth we visited along the streets of Ann Arbor.  Each artisan that participates at the Ann Arbor Street Art Fair first displays his or her creative work within their booth—work that represents tireless hours of creative effort.  Then, the artisan sits and waits for people to come by the booth, admire their work, and perhaps purchase a piece or two as we did. 

As visitors to many booths at the fair, we were participants in the “drama” with the artisans, and we observed how they responded to our appreciation of their work.  They know that most visitors will stop to admire but few will buy.  Yet beyond the monetary gain, they surely must enjoy the satisfaction of seeing many admiring faces and hearing words of praise for work well done.   I realized two things:  that, the artisans are creative and industrious like their Creator God Whose image they bear; and, like their Creator God, artisans gain a sense of joy when they receive praise for the work of their hands.

And so, our visit to the art fair with our son and daughter-in-law was both very enjoyable and inspiring to me.  I left with great respect for the creative ability and skills of the artisans, and also a great appreciation of God our Creator for providing the richness of the material world as a “palette” for His creative image-bearers. 

The psalmist in Psalm 104 recognizes the awesomeness of God and the grandeur of His creation. Then, he marvels that his God Who lacks nothing should find joy and gladness when He looks upon His creation—just as an artisan finds joy in looking over his own finished work:

O LORD, how many are Thy works!
In wisdom Thou hast made them all;
The earth is full of Thy possessions.

Let the glory of the LORD endure forever;
Let the LORD be glad in His works;

He looks at the earth, and it trembles;
He touches the mountains, and they smoke.

- Psalm 104: 24, 31-32

A few verses later in Psalm 104, the psalmist displays the kind of awe and praise that comes spontaneously from one who bears God’s image and can appreciate the beauty and wonder of creation in some imperfect way like our Creator.  But, the psalmist also understands that his heart of praise is both a fitting response to God’s greatness and a “pleasing gift” to his Creator and the Redeemer of his soul as compared to the response of those who deny God and abuse His creation for selfish gain. 

I will sing to the LORD as long as I live;
I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.

Let my meditation be pleasing to Him;
As for me, I shall be glad in the LORD.

Let sinners be consumed from the earth,
And let the wicked be no more.
Bless the LORD, O my soul. Praise the LORD!

- Psalm 104: 33-35

Redeeming Halloween for a Higher Purpose

Recently, Inglewood Elementary School in Lansdale, a suburb of Philadelphia, PA decided to cancel a parade and other annual Halloween celebrations.   In a letter to parents, the school administration explained that celebrating Halloween promotes religious beliefs and therefore violates school policy. 

I am saddened at the prohibition of prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and other aspects of religious expression in the public classrooms of America.   However, the recognition of Halloween activities as being “religious” in nature is at least consistent with prohibition of Christmas and Easter celebrations in schools.  

New Yorkers celebrate Halloween in Greenwich Village.  
(Photo:  Emmanuel Dunand, AFP/Getty Images)

Halloween is indeed a holiday [“holy day” or “day set aside for religious observance”] with significant religious elements.  Like any other holiday, Halloween can be celebrated in a variety of ways, and it is not the purpose of this article to condemn the holiday in all of its manifestations. However, there are thematic elements in Halloween that are troublesome.  In his article, “Christianity and the Dark Side—What About Halloween?” Albert Mohler cites Harold L. Myra of Christianity Today who explains the pagan religious origin of Halloween:

More than a thousand years ago Christians confronted pagan rites appeasing the lord of death and evil spirits.  Halloween’s unsavory beginnings preceded Christ’s birth when the druids, in what is now Britain and France, observed the end of summer with sacrifices to the gods. It was the beginning of the Celtic year and they believed Samhain, the lord of death, sent evil spirits abroad to attack humans, who could escape only by assuming disguises and looking like evil spirits themselves.

Halloween not only focuses our attention on the “dark side” of the spirit world, but it also presents a materialistic philosophy dressed in the alluring appeal to all ages through candy, alcohol, exotic costumes, wild parties, and the like.  According to Bruce Horovitz, USA TODAY October 24, 2012, Halloween is second only to Christmas in consumer spending for decorations, and the increased spending is due in large part to the take-over of the holiday by adults.  Horovitz explains:

A decade ago, fewer than three in 10 costumes purchased for Halloween at Halloweenexpress.com were for adults. Now [2012], it's more than six in 10. It should be no surprise that consumers will spend an average of $123 this Halloween, more than twice the average $53 that they spent on it a year ago, reports American Express Saving & Spending Tracker.

Dr. Mohler assesses how Christians respond to the excesses of Halloween as follows:

The issue of Halloween presses itself annually upon the Christian conscience. Acutely aware of dangers new and old, many Christian parents choose to withdraw their children from the holiday altogether. Others choose to follow a strategic battle plan for engagement with the holiday. Still others have gone further, seeking to convert Halloween into an evangelistic opportunity. Is Halloween really that significant?

Della Rose picks out her pumpkin at Trabbic Farm

How should we then live in the October season of witches, goblins, corn mazes, and candy?  After all, many of us have good memories as kids and as parents of making our own “trick-or-treat” costumes, our own candy, our hot cider, and our own brand of fun during the chilly October nights.  I for one believe Halloween can be celebrated in ways that are wholesome (Hum! When have I last heard that word?); and, that create the blend of good fun, activities, and treats we all enjoy.  Allow me to share our story.

For several years, it has been our family tradition to take our grandchildren, Caleb, Kiara, and Della to the Trabbic Pumpkin Farm.  The experience is enjoyable, educational, and inspiring.  It is enjoyable, because there are lots of things for children (and adults) to do--petting animals, climbing on straw, corn maze, and refreshing cider and donuts, etc.  It is educational to learn fun facts about pumpkins, honeybees, chickens, and other farm topics.  And it is inspiring to hear Mr. Trabbic share how the labor of him, Mrs. Trabbic, and their sons is only part of what makes a good harvest possible.  It is God Who must provide the rain and weather conditions necessary for their crops including pumpkins.  They politely point out that God is not only Creator and Sustainer of Earth.  He is also the Author and Protector of human life including the unborn, and humans are stewards of both the land and life in all its forms. 

Creating a memory of fun at the Trabbic Farm

In spite of “comments” by readers of an excellent food blog, the Luna Pier Cook, regarding the Trabbic Farm warning of a possible “offensive religious message,” our annual visits to the Trabbic Farm are anything but offensive.  Indeed, such warnings seem much more appropriate for those who plan to attend Halloween events, which often promote a very dark and even demonic religious agenda.

Thank you, Trabbic family for inviting us to direct our thoughts toward "Whatsoever is true, honorable, right, and pure...lovely, of good repute...excellent and...worthy of praise...(Philippians 4: 8)"  Thank you for pointing our attention heavenward to our gracious Creator and Sustainer from Whose hand comes “every good and perfect gift” (James 1: 17) including the sun, rain, and weather conditions necessary for the food we eat.  Thank you, Trabbic family, for your hard work on the land God has entrusted to you, and for your positive testimony to visiting adults and children even in years when your crops do not turn out so well.  May your tribe increase.