The Problem of Genius

Genesis 1:26a
“And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness…”

The piano you hear in the background was being played by Matt Savage. He wrote the music and called this piece “Ladybug Bounce”. Matt is an autistic boy, does piano concerts and was then just twelve years old.

How does evolution explain such extraordinary talent? Certainly it cannot be ascribed to “survival of the fittest” since musical or mathematical abilities are not related to survival. Textbooks based upon evolution generally remain silent about genius. However, when the question is considered from a biblical perspective, a reasonable explanation does present itself.

God created Adam and Eve and declared them to be “very good”. That would mean perfect in every respect – perfect memory, perfect ability to concentrate and so on. Scripture further tell us of Adam’s disobedience and Fall. We are the living members of his offspring and note the historical decline in Man’s mental abilities. Now, is it just possible that these remarkable qualities exist in everyone’s psyche or soul but are normally hidden or covered over? Occasionally, an individual is born, such as Matt Savage, where part of that covering is removed. Science cannot adequately explain these cases, but Creation Moments suggests that God occasionally removes some of the sin-stain on their soul so that a little of the original perfection is revealed to convey to the rest of us what the original creation was like.

Prayer:
Dear Lord, teach us to be sensitive to those You may be using to show us the original perfection of Your creation.

Notes:
CD album “Cutting Loose” track #14. Other CD albums available from: Savage Records, P. O. Box 35, Francestown, NH 03043, www.savagerecords.com. See also: http://autisticsavant.blogspot.com/2007/05/matt-savage.html