Cristy Li

The Foolishness of Nature Worship  -Cartoon Image Courtesy: Townhall.com

For all people who were ignorant of God were foolish by nature

and they were unable from the good things that are seen to know the One (God) who exists,

nor did they recognize the artisan while paying heed to his works

but they supposed that either fire or wind or swift air

or the circle of the stars, or turbulent water

or the luminaries of heaven were the gods that rule the world.

If through delight in the beauty of these things people assumed them to be gods,

let them know how much better than these is the Lord,

for the Author of beauty created them.  (See: Genesis 1:27)

If people were amazed at their power and working,

let them perceive from them

how much more powerful is the One (God) who formed them.  (See: Genesis 1:1;  John 1:1-4)

For from the greatness and beauty of created things

comes a corresponding perception of the Creator.

Yet these people are little to be blamed

for perhaps they go astray

while seeking God and desiring to find Him.

For while they live among His works, they keep searching

and they trust in what they see

because the things that are seen are beautiful.

Yet again, not even they are to be excised;

For if they had power to know so much

that they could investigate the world

how did they fail to find sooner the Lord of these things?

The Foolishness of Idolatry

Miserable with their hopes set on dead things, are those who give the name ‘gods’ to the

works of human hands, gold and silver fashioned with skill

and likeness of animals, or a useless stone, the work of an ancient hand.

A skilled woodcutter may saw down a tree easy to handle

and skillfully strip off all its bark

and then with pleasing workmanship

make a vessel that serves life’s needs

and burn the cast-off pieces of his work

to prepare his food and eat his fill

but a cast-off piece from among them, useful for nothing,

a stick crooked and full of knots,

he takes and carves with care in his leisure

and shapes it with skill gained in idleness;

he forms it in the likeness of a human being

or makes it like some worthless animal,

giving it a coat of red paint and coloring its surface red

and covering every blemish in it with paint;

Then he makes a suitable niche for it

and sets it in the wall and fastens it there with iron.

He takes thought for it, so that it may not fall

because he knows that it cannot help itself

for it is only an image and has need of help.

When he prays about possessions, his marriage and children,

he is not ashamed to address a lifeless thing.

For health he appeals to a thing that is weak;

For life he prays to a thing that is dead;

For aid he entreats a thing that is utterly inexperienced;

For a prosperous journey, a thing that cannot take a step;

For money-making, work and success with his hands

he asks strength of a thing who hands have no strength.  –Wisdom 13:1-19

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