Correcting An Error

Big Brown, photographed by Rick Samuels (used by permission)

Note that “used by permission”?  Well, I used a Rick Samuels’ Big Brown photograph before without the correct research and contact.  That happens often in the digital/Internet age where bits and bytes swirl around the world at the speed of light. We tend to forget that photographers and painters earn their living through such.  Oh, we read the Copyright Fair Use and think we’ve accomplished the letter of the law because we don’t take time to seriously search for the creator.

Fortunately, someone noted the picture and gave me an applicable lesson.  Rick even wrote a comment on my “Bridle That Tongue” post, so I took the time to search for him, located an e-mail address and let him know how much I regretted my misapplication of Fair Use and apologized.  In addition to forgiving me, Rick sent the above photo.  What else could I do but make an application lesson out of that, too?

You see part of that application at the end of the first graph – “… we don’t take time to seriously search for the creator.”  Capitalize that Creator and the application is apparent.  The Preacher wrote in favor of that search:

Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them; [Ecclesiastes 12:1 KJV]

But we’re usually too busy in our youth just learning how to survive. Unfortunately, that also leads to misuse of what is available to us, and we live with regrets.  If we would take the time to search for the creator, we could avoid those regrets.  The Bible literally speaks volumes of that Creator.  He described Himself to Isaiah:

I am the LORD, your Holy One, the creator of Israel, your King. Thus saith the LORD, which maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters; [Isaiah 43:15-16 KJV]

When we do the research, look for knowledge, follow the guidelines laid out for the benefit of all, we’ll also find forgiveness for previous errors and help along the way.  What else could we desire?

He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? [Micah 6:8 KJV]