One Who Really Cares About Mankind

ONLY a person having superlative wisdom could solve the many serious problems plaguing humankind. He would also have to care deeply about us, wanting to bring relief.

There is abundant evidence that such a one exists. The earth is too well suited for the continuance of life to attribute its marvelous properties, as some do, to a ‘chance combination of many improbable events.’ Observed Frank Allen, a biophysicist: “The adjustments of the earth for life are far too numerous to be accounted for by chance.” Consider:

Each day deadly radiation emanates from the sun, and an estimated 200 million meteors plunge toward the earth. How can life continue despite these apparent hazards? An invisible shield​—the atmosphere—​protects life on earth. A thin layer of ozone gas filters out most of the sun’s harmful rays but permits beneficial ones to pass through. Most of the meteors are burned up in their descent through the atmosphere. Very, very few ever reach the ground.

What about the gases forming the atmosphere? In themselves, some of these gases are deadly. Even life-sustaining oxygen could be dangerous. Were the concentration of oxygen in the air much greater, fires would start much more readily and would be far harder to control. The atmosphere, however, consists of just the proper mixture of gases for sustaining life. A mere accident? Hardly!

Then there is water. Without it, life on earth would be impossible. Nutrients in the soil would be valueless if they could not be assimilated by plants. However, because water is available and nutrients in the soil readily dissolve in it, life can exist.

Impressive, too, is the fact that the provisions for sustaining life are not skimpy but generous. All around us there are variety and beauty, things that appeal to the eye and the ear as well as to the senses of touch, smell and taste. While man’s imperfect systems often prevent our benefiting fully from earth’s bounties, we must agree with the words of the apostle Paul: “God . . . furnishes us all things richly for our enjoyment.”​—1 Tim. 6:17.

Moral Guidance​—More Evidence of God’s Care

Another outstanding evidence of God’s care is man’s being endowed with moral capacity, the faculty of conscience. That faculty serves to restrain us from harming ourselves and fellow humans. It makes us realize that we need others and that we should respect their rights and be concerned about their welfare. Think how much worse conditions would be on earth if humans had no conscience, if even such things as murder, assault, robbery and theft were accepted as normal and proper.

The conscience, however, must be trained in harmony with right principles if it is to provide sound guidance. This is so because it can both excuse and accuse. Speaking of those without the written law of God, the Bible says: “Whenever people of the nations that do not have law do by nature the things of the law, these people, although not having law, are a law to themselves. They are the very ones who demonstrate the matter of the law to be written in their hearts, while their conscience is bearing witness with them and, between their own thoughts, they are being accused or even excused.”​—Rom. 2:14, 15.

If wrongly influenced by environment, local customs or false religious views, the conscience can excuse even serious wrongs. The case of Saul, who later became the faithful apostle Paul, illustrates this. He went out with murderous intent against the disciples of Jesus Christ, thinking that he was thereby serving God.​—Acts 9:1, 2; Gal. 1:13-16.

Clearly, then, a dependable standard is needed to help the conscience to assess matters properly. Because of his caring about mankind, Jehovah God provided such a standard in written form. This standard, contained in the Bible, is based on love.​—Rom. 13:8-10.

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Does not the earth itself give evidence of having been designed by One who cares?

200 MILLION METEORS BOMBARD THE ATMOSPHERE EVERY DAY; THE ATMOSPHERE PROTECTS US BY CAUSING THEM TO DISINTEGRATE

THE OZONE FILTERS OUT DEADLY RAYS FROM THE SUN, BUT LETS THOSE NEEDED FOR LIGHT PASS THROUGH

AIR HAS JUST THE RIGHT COMBINATION OF GASES FOR SUSTAINING LIFE