Wonder: Revisited
Yesterday I posted my thoughts on “wonder” - how I feel about the lack of wonder as we grow into adulthood and become creatures of habit and comfort.
I truly believe that as a society we have been conditioned to exist. We go through our days doing the same things over and over. We are definitely creatures of habit. I wanted to continue talking about “wonder” today.
Does it exist? Are there people who marvel at the beauty of our world? Does science and knowledge erode wonder? Is there any place for wonder in our status quo?
I believe that there is a divine spark with each of us. Some believe it is put there by God, woven into the fabric of who we are, even while we are still in our mother’s womb. Some believe it is a cosmic accident, that over the millions of years that have passed, we have developed certain chemical reactions and responses in our process of evolving. Some dogmatically insist they don’t believe anything bigger than themselves is at work. Still other’s attribute everything to some mystical higher power or universal thread that ties all organic matter together.
Regardless, of what we believe, when we slow down to stop and smell the roses, when we are washed by the rays from the gigantic fireball of a sun that energizes our planet, so far away, yet close enough to provide the warmth necessary to make our planet live, there has to be something inside that resonates.
For me, it’s an indescribable testament to the existence of God. I can’t fully explain it, nor do I try. It’s mystical, and it’s beautiful.
I believe that science is a beautiful thing. Those who call themselves scientists, those who seek to learn and understand, are my definitely heroes to me. I still believe that science and technology open the door for much benefit in the world around us. We’ve come so far. We can do so much.
My post yesterday wasn’t so much about blaming science and technology for the erosion of wonder. I am privileged to have some great folks stop by and leave me some comments from the perspective of scientists. They reminded me that science is indeed driven by wonder, and to that I give a hearty amen.
My thoughts are on a more general level. As a culture, especially in the western hemisphere we’ve handcuffed ourselves to technology and stuff, thrown away the key, and rarely ever think it abnormal that we are so rooted to our couches. Science can be used for great things. Science itself IS a great pursuit.
It’s when we as a culture allow ourselves to use science as a sword, instead of as a plow. Science could cultivate wonder if we just stopped long enough to hear what she is saying. Technology could capture those moments of wonder if we just stopped using it soley to make money and to feed our appetites for stuff.
I’m guilty of this. Which is why I posted about “wonder” in the first place. Mankind needs science, needs technology, this is not debatable. But I wonder sometimes if our dependence upon “progress” leaves the quality of our life lacking, when we believe that is increasing?
What good is it for a person to gain all the knowledge and toys the world has to offer, but yet do nothing to help those around them?
Want to find more moments of wonder in your life? Look for them at the soup kitchen, at the local food bank, at an orphanage or funeral home. Serve someone else beside yourself and you’ll find them.
Give of yourself. The easiest and at the same time hardest part of ourself to give away is probably our money. Sponsor a child through Compassion. Donate to Mercy Ships. Give in your local church. Donate to your local homeless shelter.
August 27th, 2008 at 1:16 pm
good stuff dude. I remember Chris Tomlin saying in his breakout at NWLC “never lose the awe and wonder of our God.”
right now we are trying to find ways to have the music ministry here at HT get outside our walls and our routine and into the heart and soul of our hurting world. it’s easy as music peeps to focus on the ministry inside the church.
August 27th, 2008 at 2:29 pm
@Jon, that’s right. I think the easiest way to sum up my feelings right now is this: Do something different, show someone love. Thanks for stopping by.
August 29th, 2008 at 9:04 am
[...] If you’d care to join a discussion about wonder that I’ve been having over here on RussHutto.com, please do. I’ve been posting my thoughts on how habit and technology can sometimes squeeze the sense of wonder out of us. Whatever Happened to Wonder? Wonder: Revisited. [...]
August 29th, 2008 at 10:45 am
Hi Again
I’m in the process of learning to be more ‘random’.
Random thoughts ( around your ‘wonder’):
my greatest source of Wonder is the nature i see everywhere i look (from my garden to the depths of space).
Science is increasingly driven by the steering wheel (and accelerator) of commerce - ie big business.
People in Homeless Shelters often wonder: ‘where is my next meal coming from?’ or ‘What did i do to deserve this?’
I wonder in spite of the countless examples in nature of harmony and balance, and disaster following a significant imbalance, why business insists on unlimited profit year after year after year….
…and why we pay no attention whatsoever to the size of the human population and it’s consumption or affect on our environment? (and even as our world exceeds its equilibrium points we still are hesitant to the point of immobility to ‘act’)
i wonder if it is now too late?
i wonder if science will save all those who don’t rely on God?
…or if sheer stupidity and pride will ensure it doesn’t?
i wonder if anyone else on earth thinks like me?
i wonder - if she will stay - my little runaway - run-run-run-run-runawayyyy!
Ok - that was probably TOO random
<B
August 29th, 2008 at 11:08 am
Love, I actually LOVE that song. I was a band geek in High School and College and back in about 10th grade we played an oldies half-time show. I got to play the little solo lead deal in that song (trumpet in marching band, maybe some sort of of organ on the recording).
I do agree that our habits that tend towards me-oriented don’t do anything to benefit mankind as a whole. I think when we do our best to work hard to provide for our families and then look outside to those around us who are in need and actually give to those causes we’re much better off.
August 30th, 2008 at 12:43 am
A ‘mute’ on a jazz trumpet would really make the ‘why’why’why’why’why’ riff sound cool!
I’m in complete agreement that ‘me-centred’ or ’self-ish’ attitudes and ways ot thought are to be rejected and we are to follow Jesus’ commandment to love our brother/neighbour as ourselves. (as hard as that can be for me to practice)
But what are we to make of the woman who annointed His feet with precious oil when she was presumably of greater need than He? Or His comment that ‘the poor you will have with you always’? Or that He walked away from all he ‘had’ (including family - although His brother and mother walked with Him) and instructed His followers to do likewise?
Do we follow Him today? or only ‘bits’ of Him we feel ok accepting?
Tough questions. Each one of us is responsible for our own answers.
On the subject of Wonder ( your posts HAVE got me thinking!) this morning i was ‘wondering’….. Wonder is often associated with a child-like state ( no bad thing) while Wisdom is associated more with ‘maturity’. 1 Cor 13:11 says: When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. and yet Jesus says that unless we become as the little children we shall not enter the Kingdom?
How then can we best balance Wonder and Wisdom? Can we be both wise and full of wonder at one and the same time?
I think we can if we strain to be wise and have good understanding while also remaining conscious of how very little we do, or can, actually ‘know’.
We can have Faith that should we seek or ask He will provide (through) us all the answers we can handle. Mostly though, that will lead to yet more ‘questions’ ad infinitum.
There is no end to Wonder - but our society can be responsible for diminishing the level of it in our children (who become ‘us’) and i would hate to think i contributed to that.
Peace
<B