Readers of the World

Day to day utters speech;

Psalm 18:3a

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St Nikolai Velimirovich, a Serbian bishop of the last century, draws a connection between words and created objects. He begins, "as children learn the alphabet, they perceive letters merely as forms or 'idols' in that they represent only a material or physical reality." As a child reads words on a page, the words in the child's mind do not connect to any external reality- they are mere sounds and shapes. He then continues regarding how the natural man interacts with the world: "with great pains and labor they scarcely go beyond their childlike repetition of the letters that comprise nature. Very seldom, if ever, do they reach and comprehend the actual meaning and significance of those letters." By 'letters' he is referring to objects in creation- the stones, the trees, the ocean, the sun; all of these created things are not mere objects, but characters written into creation. The ungodly exist in this same world of symbols, but seeing, do not perceive, and hearing, do not understand. Finally, he says in contrast, the man of faith perceives that "things and creatures are only the symbols of a spiritual reality, which is the actual meaning and life and justification of those symbols."

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This comparison heavily critiques the fault of our age to consider the world as having a material finality, but even more so, it reveals the truth of the cosmos and our role in it; creation is a language unto itself, being made both inherently symbolic and discernable. The Word of God presents creation this way, as a vibrant world of symbols. For this reason, the writers will use phrases to express the symbolic nature of the world: 'the hills will burst out in song;' 'He who trusts the Lord will be like a tree planted by the water;' 'the Sun of righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings.' This is not mere hyperbole, but a revelation of the reality of symbols in the world seen. Creation is the visible speech of God, and as such nothing is random nor insignificant; rather, it is a story unfolded before us and we are to be readers of the world.

(Part 2 of 3)