We’ve read the account of Creation to our kids many times. Our oldest is in 6th grade and has gone to private, public, and home school during this time and has also learned about evolution. And this does not freak me out one bit. Because we talk about things at home, in the car, at dinner, during tuck in, all throughout the day. Because talking to our kids matters…
“Mom, how old is the Earth?”
“Mom, do you believe in evolution?”
“Mom, were we monkeys or amphibians at one point?”
“Mom, do we all share the same DNA?”
And this is what I say, “You know, I don’t know. I do believe in God, that He always was and always has been. I believe He is the Creator of the Universe and everything in it. I wasn’t there when He made everything. I don’t know if He said, “Bang!” and it set all things into motion, but I do know He spoke things into existence. Those mountains we see everyday on the way to school, He said to the land, ‘Be mountains,’ and they were, and He said it was good. I wasn’t there when He spoke to the waters and told the waters to bring forth life, but if the account in Creation is true, then it’s probable every living thing in the waters shares the same DNA. And when He told the land, ‘Bring forth life,’ and the land obeyed Him, creatures walked on it. He took dirt from the land and breathed life into it and called it a human, so we do share the same DNA, in that sense. I do think many things in the earth have evolved over time and different animal and plant kingdoms either adapt or die out, even rock formations have been molded over the years. But I wasn’t there when it all started, so I don’t know exactly how it went down, how long ago it was, and, to be completely truthful, since I wasn’t there, I can’t tell you the play by-play details. But I can tell you this, God is a really big deal. He is the Ultimate Creative. He loves us, every single one, and He made us. And in the scope of eternity, I would encourage you to explore His amazing Creation, but don’t ever allow your life and heart to be derailed by the details, debates, or hateful banter around the subject. There are 7 billion people on this earth, each uniquely designed by God, with free will. It’s not our job to convince someone of how the earth came into existence or not. We are here to live LOVE. Sure, it’s lively discussion and challenges us to use our amazing minds to dream. But Em, there are so many things I do not know, and I’m not afraid to admit not knowing because not knowing doesn’t discount God. God is ginormous and doesn’t fit into a box, so for me to tell you how God created the Universe with every nitty-gritty detail is preposterous. But it sure is fun to live in wonder and awe and anticipation, because how cool would it be to die one day and maybe get to see how it all went down on a giant IMAX in the sky?”
As a parent I’m not afraid to tell my children, “I don’t know” when they ask me things. It gives us opportunity to explore, study, and learn together, not necessarily finding the answer, but continuing to live in awe, curiosity, and wonder of the One who has the answers. What if the point of the beauty of this world isn’t to debate about the How or When, but to live in it and steward it and be loved by the One who spoke it into existence?
Science says we use potentially 10% of our brains. What if God sees the other 90%?
I don’t know, and I’m okay not knowing. In the meantime, while others are fighting about it, I’m going to work on the “Love the Lord, self, and LOVING OTHERS” part.
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