Beautiful Science

The Beatitudes are principles of human life and interaction. Science is a human activity to explore, measure, and organize our understanding of the universe. We then apply it to solve problems and improve our lives. Therefore, we find similarities between the two.

Love.

The scientific process starts with God’s facts and resources. God has already supplied material to use and given us the ability to build. It is His Spirit flashing ideas and causing us to notice some things and not others. All of it is for our good, and tuned to our abilities. Life continues normally, until a mystery is observed.

Need.

The scientist finds something he cannot explain. The inventor sees a need she wonders how to fill. The business person discovers a new market. The average person runs into a problem that needs solving. The common theme is that there is a gap worth crossing and how to cross it is not readily apparent. Rather than giving up, each person acknowledges poorness of spirit and their inability to cross the gap. They believe the gap exists, that it is worth crossing, and that they do not currently have the resources to accomplish it.

Want.

Of course, acknowledging a chasm does not automatically put a bridge across it. This is where hope comes in to spark a desire to figure out a way. A person could easily sit on the edge of the gap and mourn, but hope brings comfort with the thought that there is help and resources and God-inspired ingenuity to bring about a solution. Rather than negatively mourn over impossibilities, hope inspires a positive mourning, a strong desire to search, to ask, to try, to experiment.

Will.

Because not all possibilities can be tried at once, an educated guess (hypothesis) must be taken. A commitment must be made that excludes other commitments from being made. Meekly, in the spirit of a learner who does not know how things will turn out, a decision is made. That decision is valued because the determination has been made that it is the best one to start with. The scientist is now ready to put resources to work because they know in what direction they will work.

Not only the meek, but everyone is destined to inherit the earth. God does not pick winners or losers or favorites. Every person born on this earth is fully intended to inherit the next. Similarly, every person encountering a problem has already inherited resources to solve that problem. Choice unlocks them because choice unlocks us. A hammer won’t pound by itself. We must pick it up, use it, experiment with it. It is the only way we can learn. God’s resources are always ready and available to those committed to finding answers.

Receive.

When the meek commit to a plan, then they are ready to get started. They are hungry and thirsty to receive resources, to use tools, to research sources of data, or whatever they need to do. They are filled because they reach out and grab hold of needed assets, supplies, and help. God’s universal hardware store and science lab is at their disposal, along with the people to form teams and committees.

Work.

All of this energy is directed towards solving a problem, not creating one. Resources are invested in creative acts, not destructive acts. This is why this stage is described as merciful and why mercy is received as a reward. People, things, and ideas come together and hard work is instantly rewarded with harmonious teamwork as well as individual blessings. All along the way, rewards are reaped and learning is gained.

Improve.

Rarely does the first attempt produce the sought after result. Ideas need refinement. Procedures need improvement. Learners need wisdom based on experience. These are all part of the purifying stage. Whether it be in the realm of science, business, or daily living, the purer in heart see God a little bit more from their unique perspective. Even if the experiment is an ultimate failure, the participants learn more about God and His way of operating the universe. In reality, nothing is an ultimate failure because we learn to be better people through the process of learning.

Influence.

The refining process may cause us to loop back to earlier steps to choose different resources, processes, or team members, but we ultimately learn and share what we learn. We might publish in a peer reviewed journal, be interviewed for the evening news, or just share stories with co-workers or friends. Every channel contributes to the dissemination of knowledge that makes life better for everyone. This is the peacemaker role. It is children sharing with children and growing together in our Father’s world. We grow and the peace between us and God grows.

Thrive.

Whether it is knowledge or devices that are spread, the learning is tested under a wide variety of conditions for an extended period of time. Collective confidence grows in the correctness and suitability of the learning. “Persecution” in the form of time or intensity tests our work and proves its worth. Mistakes are corrected by looping back through the learning process. New ideas and inventions are born. The kingdom of heaven comes to life even in this life of good mixed with evil!