A Matter of Faith...
By Carol Round
The Fingerprints of God
“O Lord God Almighty, who is like you? You are mighty, O LORD, and your faithfulness surrounds you.” Psalm 89:8 (NIV)
When I misplaced my driver’s license recently, I had to get a replacement. Notice, I said, “misplaced,” because I found the original a week after I paid for a new one.
The first time I renewed my license after I moved to a new town, I was required by law to have my fingerprints scanned. This new development in technology, in an effort to cut down on identity theft, made me realize how unique we are.
When the tag agent asked me to place my index finger on the scanner, I complied. However, the small device would not read my fingerprint. She had me try again. No luck. I thought something was wrong with me, but hoped it was the machine.
After one more attempt to scan my fingerprint, the agent handed me a tissue with instructions to wipe my fingers, which were, by now, sweating profusely. Was I nervous? A little. Why? I had nothing to hide.
On the next attempt to capture my elusive identity, either the machine decided to cooperate or my dry prints were readable. Either way, we had a hit. My fingerprint was captured electronically for my license.
Fingerprints offer a reliable means of personal identification. No two fingerprints are alike in many billions of human and automated computer comparisons. Even identical twins can be distinguished by their fingerprints.
In 1903, a man named Will West was sentenced to the U.S. Penitentiary at Leavenworth, Kansas. Authorities were confused when they discovered there was already a prisoner at the penitentiary at the time, whose fingerprint measurements were nearly the same as the new convict.
Upon investigation, experts discovered that the two men, who were named Will West and William West, looked exactly alike, but were allegedly not related. Their fingerprints were close enough to identify them as the same person. However, a fingerprint comparison quickly and correctly identified them as two different people. When prison records revealed that each had a record of correspondence with the same immediate family relatives, it was discovered that they were apparently identical twin brothers.
After my grandchildren come for a visit, I continue to find evidence of their presence for several days. Sticky fingerprints grace many surfaces throughout the house. I have to clean their peanut butter and jelly prints on chairs, the refrigerator and my glass doors.
When a child is born, the hospital fingerprints the mom and her baby for identification purposes. Looking back years later at the certificate, a parent can compare the tiny prints of their growing youngster to their much larger counterparts. However, one thing doesn’t change. The tiny whorls and ridge patterns that distinguish us from each other are as individual as snowflakes that fall each winter.
Just as each fingerprint and snowflake has unique characteristics so does our heavenly Father. When we look around, we can see His special fingerprints on everything in our lives. There is no other like Him.
A collection of Carol Round’s most popular faith-based columns is now available in book form. For more information, readers can reach her at carolaround@yahoo.com
“O Lord God Almighty, who is like you? You are mighty, O LORD, and your faithfulness surrounds you.” Psalm 89:8 (NIV)
When I misplaced my driver’s license recently, I had to get a replacement. Notice, I said, “misplaced,” because I found the original a week after I paid for a new one.
The first time I renewed my license after I moved to a new town, I was required by law to have my fingerprints scanned. This new development in technology, in an effort to cut down on identity theft, made me realize how unique we are.
When the tag agent asked me to place my index finger on the scanner, I complied. However, the small device would not read my fingerprint. She had me try again. No luck. I thought something was wrong with me, but hoped it was the machine.
After one more attempt to scan my fingerprint, the agent handed me a tissue with instructions to wipe my fingers, which were, by now, sweating profusely. Was I nervous? A little. Why? I had nothing to hide.
On the next attempt to capture my elusive identity, either the machine decided to cooperate or my dry prints were readable. Either way, we had a hit. My fingerprint was captured electronically for my license.
Fingerprints offer a reliable means of personal identification. No two fingerprints are alike in many billions of human and automated computer comparisons. Even identical twins can be distinguished by their fingerprints.
In 1903, a man named Will West was sentenced to the U.S. Penitentiary at Leavenworth, Kansas. Authorities were confused when they discovered there was already a prisoner at the penitentiary at the time, whose fingerprint measurements were nearly the same as the new convict.
Upon investigation, experts discovered that the two men, who were named Will West and William West, looked exactly alike, but were allegedly not related. Their fingerprints were close enough to identify them as the same person. However, a fingerprint comparison quickly and correctly identified them as two different people. When prison records revealed that each had a record of correspondence with the same immediate family relatives, it was discovered that they were apparently identical twin brothers.
After my grandchildren come for a visit, I continue to find evidence of their presence for several days. Sticky fingerprints grace many surfaces throughout the house. I have to clean their peanut butter and jelly prints on chairs, the refrigerator and my glass doors.
When a child is born, the hospital fingerprints the mom and her baby for identification purposes. Looking back years later at the certificate, a parent can compare the tiny prints of their growing youngster to their much larger counterparts. However, one thing doesn’t change. The tiny whorls and ridge patterns that distinguish us from each other are as individual as snowflakes that fall each winter.
Just as each fingerprint and snowflake has unique characteristics so does our heavenly Father. When we look around, we can see His special fingerprints on everything in our lives. There is no other like Him.
A collection of Carol Round’s most popular faith-based columns is now available in book form. For more information, readers can reach her at carolaround@yahoo.com
Labels: Religion
posted by Editor | 1:25 AM
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