Formations 5: Popping with Color

“God saw all that He had made, and it was very good.” Genesis 1:31

I am thankful that God designed the world with color. He could have made it black and white, the sun rising in varying rays of gray. He could have made all flowers with neutral tones; poppies would fill fields with beige, and blue bonnets wouldn’t exist. He could have made the world monochromatic yellow, where the sky was the shade of lemon and the ocean looked like waves of school bus yellow hitting the butter sand. And we would probably have been satisfied with it, because this was the only world we knew.

Instead, God, the master designer, created the oceans to have depths of blue and green that painters like Winslow Homer and Ivan Aivazovsky couldn’t replicate. He designed peacocks with iridescent, color-drenched feathers. He crafted leaves in different shades of green that give forests depth. He painted the sunrise with yellow, orange, pink, and purple streaks, reminding us that His mercies are new every day.

I know some love their neutrals, and I respect that this design grounds people and provides tranquility. I know some like creating rooms with monochromatic themes, and I can appreciate the drama it creates. For me, I know that I need pops of color to energize, motivate, and remind me of the goodness of God.