Man's search for Cabagery

An exempt from my new book, Man’s search for Cabagery.

The movie, The Wizard of Oz, debuted in 1938. It was the first motion picture to be seen in color. The scenes in Kansas were done in sepia tones while the land of Oz was in full spectrum color. The goal was to contrast the rugged life in the mid-west with the glory of Oz. Dorothy, the protagonist, was convinced that somewhere over the rainbow was a land that would fulfill her greatest dreams. She longed to be free from the drudgery of life on a Kansas farm. So, with Toto in hand, she was lifted up by a tornado only to discover in the end that there is no place like home. But is there a place better than our present home? All we know is the reddish-brown of Kansas. Perhaps, the Garden of Eden was a different scene altogether than the sepia tones of our present world.

In the book of Romans, we are told that the world groans under the curse of sin. The creation waits for the full redemption of man before once again spreading its wings and returning to its full glory. In the meanwhile, it sits behind a thick curtain caused by man’s sin.

In contrast to ours, the world that Adam entered was in full spectrum color with shades and hues unimaginable. What we now see in limited brush strokes he witnessed in colors no longer present in our woodland landscapes and seaside dunes. His hands held the softness of a magnolia flower while breathing in deeply its fragrance. Adam laid his head down each evening to the song of the nightingale and arose each morning to the sound of flowing streams. He tasted fruit bursting with flavor and ran his fingers through the soft mane of a lion. The scent of jasmine filled the garden, while the glory of the cherry trees, in full bloom, took Adam’s breath away.

There is also evidence, from Eve’s non-reaction to a talking snake, that the animals spoke to Adam. She naturally trusted the serpent revealing the possibility that all creatures had been friendly toward the first couple.

Can you imagine the deep bass voice of a hippo or the sweet soprano notes of a hummingbird? Adam’s side no doubt split with laughter at watching an elephant trying to remember a joke while the hyenas mocked the colossal beast.

Adam was no doubt a wonder to himself. His body was in the finest working order. No joints ached and muscles hurt. The Psalmist declared, “I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”

Adam’s body was a resounding message of God’s wisdom and power. His connection with the earth was his glory, meant to teach him of his Creator. But it was also meant to teach him a deeper lesson about his own life; a lesson we are all still struggling to learn. The need for cabagery.