Marvels of God’s World: A Journey Beyond Human Imagination
A few days ago, I was in New York City to celebrate my daughter’s graduation with her Master of Arts in Religion. It was a joyful milestone, and we took the opportunity to spend some quality time together. We shared good meals, wandered the city, and did a bit of window shopping. Knowing her love for museums, she planned a visit to the Morgan Library & Museum. It turned out to be a meaningful experience.
As we walked through the exhibits, we noticed how much of the collection reflected Christian heritage—ancient manuscripts, religious artwork, and sacred texts. What especially caught our attention was a section titled The Book of Marvels: Imagining the Medieval World. It showcased how an unknown French writer had gathered stories of how people in the Middle Ages imagined the world around them.
At the entrance of the exhibit, a quote on the wall drew us in: “Medieval writings about the world were often based more on established traditions than direct observation. … This fifteenth-century illustrated text vividly depicts the remarkable inhabitants, customs, and natural phenomena of fifty-six religions around the globe.”
It struck me how deeply human this is—trying to make sense of a vast, complex world through the lens of our own traditions, culture, and limited experiences. In the Middle Ages, people mapped out the world not by what they had seen, but by what they had heard or assumed. But are we really that different today?
Whether ancient or modern, all humanity tends to view the world through its own understanding. Our knowledge, our experiences, and even our pain shape how we interpret life and others. And while that may be natural, it often leads to misunderstanding, division, and distortion. We speak past each other, judge too quickly, or fail to see what’s truly there.
That’s why, as Christians, we are called to a different way of seeing. Not merely through our eyes, but through the eyes of God. Scripture offers us a lens far more accurate than our own—revealing not only truth about the world, but about ourselves, and about God's redemptive purpose.
Even Jesus, in His earthly ministry, consistently referred to Scripture as the foundation for understanding truth. When challenged or questioned, He often responded, “Have you not read…?” or “What is written in the Law?” (cf. Luke 10:26). He rooted His teachings, His identity, and even His understanding of God’s mission in the words of the Torah and the Prophets. Jesus did not rely on the cultural assumptions of His day but turned to the Word of God as the authoritative guide for life and truth.
Paul echoes this same call in Philippians 2:5: “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” That’s the invitation: to see with the mind of Christ. To think as He thinks. To view others not with suspicion or pride, but with compassion, humility, and grace. Christ, who is the very image of God, saw people not as categories or threats, but as lost sheep, worthy of love, sacrifice, and truth.
It is my prayer to see the world as Jesus sees it. To move beyond the limits of my own understanding and take on the perspective shaped by Scripture and the Spirit. This, I believe, should also be the vision of the Church—not to be conformed to the fragmented and self-centered views of the world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2). As we grow in Christ, may we learn to see with His eyes, love with His heart, and walk in His truth. Only then can we truly reflect His light in a world still searching for what is real.
Chin Kim currently serves as the Church Growth Coordinator for Colton Seventh-day Adventist Church and as Chief Financial Officer of Pacific Healthcare Services. He brings nearly three decades of leadership experience in ministry, non-profit management, and faith-based education.
He is presently pursuing a Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) at Liberty University. He also holds a Ph.D. in Licensed Clinical Pastoral Counseling, an M.B.A. in Management, an M.Div. in Pastoral Studies, and a B.A. in Religion. His passion lies in developing discipleship-centered strategies for church revitalization and equipping the next generation of Christian leaders.
Chin lives in Redlands, Southern California, with his better half Sunny, their two daughters Kaitlin and Nicole, and their son Johan.