I don't think

I have, in more than 15 years of writing, responded in print to negative

comments from a reader. Today, I will do so though, because there may

be a tremendous lesson to be learned by all, especially myself, as I discuss

what is on my heart.

I quote from

the reader's letter to the editor:

"Why don't

Christians do something to stop the destruction and abuse of nature, which

you claim is God's creation? You not only don't do anything, you as Christians

are responsible for a large part of it. In fact, the columnist Mary Jane

Holt talks about God's wonders from the top of her deer stand.

"Christians

are great at giving lip service to the idea, but when it comes to action,

most sit on their thumbs. You talk the talk, but you don't walk the walk.

When it gets down to it, I think it's the non-Christians who are really

trying to make it a better world through tolerance, compassion and open-mindedness."

End of quote.

Sort of.

Let's consider

the question:

"Why don't

Christians do something to stop the destruction and abuse of nature, which

you claim is God's creation? You not only don't do anything, you as Christians

are responsible for a large part of it."

I say, if the

shoe fits, wear it. If there is a Creator God, and if he's watching, and

for sure since we will one day be held accountable (perhaps in this life

AND the next) for the use and misuse of our natural resources, then we

all need to avoid being so heavenly minded that we are no earthly good.

This planet, this earth, will nurture us only as long as we respect and

care for it.

Now, let's

consider:

"Christians

are great at giving lip service to the idea, but when it comes to action,

most sit on their thumbs. You talk the talk, but you don't walk the walk."

Oh, before

God, how I wish that were not true! But it is. I won't add insult to injury

walk the walk.

And as for:

"When

it gets down to it, I think it's the non-Christians who are really trying

to make it a better world through tolerance, compassion and open-mindedness."

Sadly, she

may be right again. I can only imagine how Christ, the ultimate compassionate

activist, must feel about this fact.

And now, let's

consider this one:

"In fact,

the columnist Mary Jane Holt talks about God's wonders from the top of

her deer stand."

Fact?

On Monday,

Jan. 7, 2002, following an awesome snowstorm, I wrote:

"It was

around noon on Jan. 3 when I finally ventured out of the house. My cozy

fire had won out for a day and a half over taking a walk in five to seven

inches of snow, depending on where I would step. But finally I had found

my sense of adventure and out the back door I went.

"I walked

slowly, hugging the edge of the yard and the fields, not wanting to mar

nature's perfect palette. Feeling more and more like an intruder with

every step, I meandered around to the back field and climbed up into one

of Daniel's deer hunting stands to quietly observe the changed landscape.

"I let

myself try to take in the beauty before me. I wished for a camera. I had

not brought one with me. I had my binoculars, but couldn't bring myself

to use them because of the limited field of vision they offered. I wanted

to drink in all of it."

Please note

it was not my deer hunting stand. I'm not sure I could kill an animal

even if I was starving. I like to think I could, but I'm not sure.

So, am I defending

myself against the reader's comments. Not really. What I want to point

out is how we all, Christian and non-Christian alike, take half-truths,

call them fact, and run with them.

We are all

critical and judgmental of those who think, speak, act, dress, and worship

different from us. We may not all be guilty all of the time, but sadly,

we are all guilty some of the time.

Now, regarding

deer hunting though I am not a hunter, I do cook and eat venison. I eat

very little meat, but wild venison is a healthy, extremely low fat meat

that I do occasionally enjoy. I am confident, as well, that no antibiotics

or other assorted drugs have been fed to the animal prior to its being

served at my table.

I truly hope

that fact does not offend others. As I think on this subject, I am reminded

of a Scripture passage in the book of First Corinthians, chapter 10, verses

23-33. Though I dislike pulling scripture, or any kind of quote, out of

context, these verses are food for thought. I will think on them for a

while.

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