Our Pale Blue Dot Kingdom
“We don’t inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children.” (David Brower). “Nature is not a place we visit. It is home.” (Gary Snyder).
In Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space, Carl Sagan asks us to look again at that dot. On it everyone you love everyone you know… every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. Every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child… every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.
Think of the rivers of blood spilled by all those generals and emperors so that, in glory and triumph, they could become the momentary masters of a fraction of a dot.
“A blade of grass is a commonplace on Earth; it would be a miracle on Mars. Our descendants on Mars will know the value of a patch of green. And if a blade of grass is priceless, what is the value of a human being?”
In his conclusions Sagan says, “If we continue to accumulate only power and not wisdom, we will surely destroy ourselves… If we become even slightly more violent, shortsighted, ignorant, and selfish than we are now, almost certainly we will have no future.”
You and I are privileged. We know we need God’s help. Though in absolute awe at the wonders of our earth, we know that Jesus came to give us the heart and soul that it takes to steward this creation. The Kingdom of God is unfolding. God’s will on earth and heaven will triumph.
After spending 178 days aboard the International Space Station, astronaut Ron Garan returned to Earth with a transformed understanding of humanity itself. From orbit, Garan saw no lines dividing continents, no flags marking territory. From 250 miles above the surface, every human conflict suddenly looked small.
What struck Garan was not earth’s power, but its fragility. The atmosphere protecting all life appeared as a paper-thin blue halo, barely visible, yet responsible for everything that breathes, grows, and survives.
With this came a profound realization that humanity shares a single, closed system. No backups. No escape route. No second home.
Garan began questioning humanity’s priorities. On Earth, economic growth is often treated as the ultimate goal. From space, the correct order should be planet first, society second, economy last. Without a healthy planet, neither society nor economy can exist.
Garan often compares Earth to a spacecraft… carrying billions of crew members, all dependent on the same life-support systems. And yet, many behave as passengers rather than caretakers. (Internet source).
From orbit, pollution has no nationality. Climate systems ignore borders. Environmental damage in one region ripples across the entire globe. The divisions we defend so fiercely on the ground simply don’t exist from above.
“What is the use of a house if you haven’t got a tolerable planet to put it on?” (Henry David Thoreau). But there is hope! Anthropologist Margaret Mead says, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
Jane Goodall says, “I do have reasons for hope: Our clever brains, the resilience of nature, the indomitable human spirit, and above all, the commitment of young people when they’re empowered to take action.”
The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all. (Psalm 103:19). “The kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:21)
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