Pay Attention to the Volcano!

Spending a few days at the base of an active volcano can focus one’s thoughts.

The sky glowed red in the Mediterranean night. A shiver of foreboding rippled down my spine as we stared at the eerie heavens and the massive triangular shadow underneath. Clouds reflected the light of bubbling lava in the cone of the highest, most active volcano in Europe: Mount Etna.

On the east coast of the Italian island of Sicily, this 11,000-foot mountain is constantly active, with frequent eruptions, sometimes lasting for more than five years! It has produced lava fountains half a mile high and has shot lava bombs into the surrounding area. The ash clouds of some eruptions are of such a scale they have been photographed from space.

Etna was formed at the convergent boundary, where the African tectonic plate is slipping under the Eurasian plate. This tectonic activity along the east coast also causes earthquakes and tsunamis, which have killed thousands of people over the centuries.

Living on the edge

Living around Etna is not without danger. Yet there are still numerous towns around its base. Catania, founded by Greeks nearly 3,000 years ago and sitting on the coast just south of the volcano, has a population of over a million in its metropolitan area.

Ski stations have been built on the volcano’s flanks, usable a few months each winter—when they haven’t been consumed by lava flows. Skiers are thrilled to slalom on an active volcano that often rumbles, gazing out over the Mediterranean as they go. Each time the lifts and stations are destroyed, they are rebuilt, as are other mountainside structures.

Inhabitants have grown accustomed to the risk. But, in spite of advances in modern volcanology, people are still surprised and killed or injured. In 1987 two tourists were killed by a sudden explosion near the summit. In 2017, 10 people, including a BBC news crew, were injured.

People near Etna must be alert to warning signs of possible eruptions: tremors, fissures, unusual changes. Pay attention to the volcano! Don’t become complacent.

Complacency, the opposite of wisdom

The Bible warns against becoming complacent toward spiritual dangers and of ignoring spiritual principles that allow us to safely navigate life. Underscoring the importance of seeking wisdom, the Proverbs state: “For the turning away of the simple will slay them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; but whoever listens to me [wisdom personified] will dwell safely, and will be secure, without fear of evil” (Proverbs 1:32-33).

Some people drift through life without much thought about seeking wisdom—sometimes without much thought at all. But seeking wisdom, the practical, creative application of knowledge and understanding, can save us from spiritual (and sometimes physical) injury, even death.

Applying wisdom, the Bible says, offers great advantages: safety, security, avoiding evil. The Proverbs are a book devoted to teaching wisdom. We should study it. The Bible also shows wisdom is a gift of God (1 Corinthians 12:8). We should urgently request it in prayer.

I will never forget my few days around Mount Etna. I hope I never forget that complacency is the opposite of wisdom.

Joel Meeker @JoelMeeker