Diamonds in the Sand
An Environmental Article from All-Creatures.org

From

David Prather, On the Wild Side
July 2006

As published in: THE TITUSVILLE HERALD, Titusville, PA

Cassie Walker has someone watching over her. Her husband's love was exemplified by the expensive wedding ring she wore. The Walkers were in the desert southwest and were to go to Hawaii on vacation, but an urgent matter prevented Mr. Walker's timely departure. He insisted Cassie begin her vacation. He would join her later.

While swimming on a crowded beach in Hawaii, Cassie discovered a wave had pulled the ring from her finger. Many people helped her search the sandy bottom for the treasured band without success. Disappointed, Cassie mentioned the loss to her waiter as she had lunch. The waiter asked her name just in case the ring was recovered.

More than a year later Cassie was again having lunch in that same restaurant. Cassie confirmed her identity as the waiter produced the beautiful setting with its noble stones. The waiter explained that a homeless man found the ring as it washed up on the shore only days earlier.

By chance, he brought it to the restaurant and by coincidence gave it to the waiter who had Cassie's name recorded beneath the menu stand. I know the Walkers. This is a true story.

Jesus told his disciples not to get excited that they could cast out demons, but rather to rejoice that their names were written in heaven. Your name is written somewhere.

The book of Revelation informs us that everyone will worship the anti-Christ whose names are not written in the Lamb's Book of Life from the foundation of the world.

Your name is written somewhere.

And you will know them by their works. Scripture records, “God ordained specific good works for you to walk in before the foundation of the world.” Your destiny is revealed in him.

Bob Dylan sang it: “You gotta serve somebody — it may be the devil or it may be the Lord, but you gotta serve somebody.”

This week I was calling offices of the federal government and environmental groups across the country. A representative of the U.S. government agreed with me immediately that many of the programs were corrupt --- but she added, “Honey there is corruption all around you and everyone is doing it.”

I asked if she had heard of Martin Luther King, Mahatma Gandhi or Jesus Christ and added that they all stood up in the face of corruption. I heard her smiling over the phone when she replied, “Well you got me there — I ain't gonna argue with that.”

Many people in the business of turning our forest bio-diversity into board feet say they feel deeply threatened by environmental groups. I wouldn't feel too threatened yet.

I recently called more environmental groups than I could record. One asked me to join them. I advised them that I was a real environmentalist and a real Christian. This staff person responded, “Oh, that's all right. The gentleman who writes our newsletter is a real environmentalist.”

It is nice when an environmental group has at least one environmentalist on board.

Another group that advertises itself as an environmental group told me they exist to overthrow endangered species protection and any limits on what landowners can do even if it impacts the environment adversely. Didn't I hear a story once about a fox watching the hen house?

Bruce Wilkinson is author of the New York Times Best Seller The Prayer of Jabez, which is sweeping the nation. One of his most recent books is titled A Life God Rewards — Why Everything You Do Today Matters Forever.

Integrity is the thing that matters most in environmental groups, government agencies, and our own lives. “Being what we say and saying what we be.”

If we are ruining the earth, one little area at a time, it matters forever. If we with integrity are using the wealth of the planet and the power of our words and actions to restore and heal the wounds of many generations, that matters forever, too.

According to Romans chapter 8, it matters to every forest, every person, and every wild creature on earth. From the red spotted newt to the golden eagle, it matters whether or not we are growing up into God in all areas, including protecting every species, our wilderness and our bio-diversity

Like Cassie Walker, we all have someone watching over us. Whether we are a government organization, environmental group, or individual. Doing what we profess to do with deep integrity is necessary.

Our fruit will reveal our root. His fire will test every work whether it is good or evil. In the long run, those who sold their souls to the love of money will be ashes under the feet of the just.

Really there is only one list on which your name can be written. It is beyond time to join with Noah’s crew and cargo singing, “When the roll is called up yonder I'll be there.”

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