When I was in my first year of high school at Cairns State High, our class was given the task to write an essay about the importance of trees.
I asked my father if he would help me write my essay. My father actually wrote the whole essay for me. It was a very good essay. In the essay, he wrote about how trees are the lungs of the earth. And in it he also described the enormous beauty of trees. He described their beauty in two big words: A Kaleidoscope bewilderment. I had never seen these two big words before, and I had no idea what these two big words meant.
After I handed in my essay, I know that my teacher knew that I had not written this essay. But my teacher was really impressed by its content. I did confess that it was my father who wrote this essay for me. Thankfully, I did get a good grade for it. But these two big words have remained in my memory all these years. From these two big words I developed a very deep appreciation for trees and the environment in which trees grow and bloom, and all of God’s creation. The words seem so poetic in the ways in which my father was describing the function, importance and beauty of trees in the environment. I still see trees through the ways in which my father described them in the essay that he wrote for me. A Kaleidoscope bewilderment! I am still in awe of my father and the way he used language. He did write a poem once that actually won an international prize for poetry in 2003.
The Bible uses very big words too. Words like: Reconciliation. Salvation. Eternity. Predestination. Redemption. Justice. Holiness. Each of these big words have deep meaning. For the past 2000 years humanity has been trying to understand, not only the meaning of these big words, but how these big words should be applied and demonstrated by all humanity in everyday life. But, if there is one word that can summarise all of these big words that come from the Bible, that one word would be LOVE.
Like my earthly father I will always remember the love of my father when I recall those two big words. Matter of fact, I still try to interpret the world and see God’s creation through those two big words from my father’s essay that he wrote for me. And like my Heavenly Father who also gave all humanity so many big words to ponder, study and apply from His Word, I continue to dig deep into the meaning of these big words from the Scriptures as I try every day to understand His plan for all creation and for all humanity. And I continue to try to see the whole of creation through the eyes of my Heavenly Father. He said, “For God so loved the world….” John 3:16.
Truly, a Kaleidoscope Bewilderment!
Uncle Ray Minniecon is a descendant of the Kabi Kabi and Gurang Gurang nations of South-East Queensland, and a descendant of the South Sea Islander people. He is a founding board member of the Australian expression of NAIITS - a global indigenous theological community - and leads the Scarred Tree Indigenous Ministries at St John’s in Glebe, Sydney.