In recent weeks, devastating events have occurred around the Mediterranean. Libya saw massive flooding as intense rain of more than 16 inches (40 cm) over two days caused dams to break (AP, September 13, 2023). In the coastal city of Derna, over 11,000 people were reported dead and thousands more were still missing (Euronews, September 15, 2023).

A province in India is experiencing another outbreak of the Nipah virus—the fourth in the region since 2018 (Telegraph, September 14, 2023). Deaths have occurred with each outbreak, and so far, two have died in this one. There have been 800 suspected contacts. These numbers might seem low, but the fatality rate for infection with the virus can be up to 75 percent!

Some Christian denominations attract members by offering a “feel-good religious experience,” complete with an upbeat message, live Christian rock music, encouragement to indulge in fits of emotion, and requiring little in the way of commitments. But is an emotionally charged “religious experience” truly the worship God wants?

As those who do their utmost to follow Christ, we can often fall into the trap of being so rightfully appalled by something fundamentally evil that we swerve into the ditch of something else that is, if we truly think about it, just as evil.

Roughly six billion metric tons of sand are dredged from the sea floor each year (BBC, September 5, 2023). As one analyst noted, this is equivalent to one million dump-truck loads each day! The majority of sand dredging occurs off the east coast of America, in the North Sea, and in the South China Sea. The majority of dredged sand is used to make concrete and glass. It is also used for constructing roads, dams, and even solar panels.