I just found out about Blog Action Day and being that this year's topic is about the environment, I thought I would add my own post with it.Conservation and the environment is something that has become pretty important to me and Wes. Yesterday in Sunday school, Scott went over Psalm 8 and I really loved this part of it:
"You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet: all flocks and herds, and beasts of the field, the birds of the air and the fish of the sea, and all that swims in the paths of the seas." Psalm 8:6-8
I guess the passage stuck out to me because not only does it confirm mankind's dominion over the earth, but it implies a responsibility. When we think of rulers, the ideal is that the ruler takes care of their kingdom. Unfortunately many rulers throughout history have been tyrannical, to the point of destroying their own kingdoms. So how do we learn from those lessons when we realize that we are rulers over God's creation? Are we taking care of it? Or do we become "tyrannical" and destroy it?
I am not a fan of the whole global warming craze. Wes and I find it pretty ridiculous and even scientists have said there is no absolute proof. But put a high profile politician on the case and tag along a bunch of A-list celebs, and the world goes ga-ga over something not even proven. There are pros and cons to this. The good thing is that people are becoming more aware of our need to be good stewards of what God has given us. The bad thing is that so much focus and attention (and money) is being spent towards an event that is doubtable that it takes away from things that are in a bigger state of urgency.
On another blog I read regularly (partly because the blog happens to be my Dad's), it was mentioned that he believes that human race isn't the enemy of the earth. And I agree. Wes & I, environmentalists that we are, do not believe we are the earth's enemy. That implies that we are intentionally destroying it with no desire to restore it. And that's not true. Well let me correct that, as there always is an exception to the rule. But generally, people don't want to see the earth in shambles. We do, however, believe that humankind is responsible for much of what is happening. Mad Cow disease is a result of humans feeding diseased cow meat and bones to living cows...it gets passed to humans when the cows are killed to sell to humans to eat. A cow on its own is an herbivore. Humans have brought on Mad Cow disease by feeding cows something that goes against how God designed them. We screwed it up. That's just one example. But that's not to say it can't be changed. It can be!! And that's what is so awesome about it. We don't have to live in a state of impending doom, which has tended to be the theme of global warming activists. There is still so much good going on with creation, humans just need to see the error of their ways and start fixing what has been messed up. Now will that ever happen 100%? Of course not...we live in a fallen, sinful world. But that doesn't mean that those who know better, Christians in particular who know of our dominion over the earth, can't try and do something about it. My dad, for example, picks up candy wrappers blown in the wind rather than letting it blow to someone else's lawn. I hope people can see that taking care of God's creation can be as simple as that.
Wes and I have made the decision to incorporate more organic and all natural foods into our diet. We have decided to purchase only free range meat. We have boycotted Canadian seafood. Quick jaunts to Whole Foods has us bringing our canvas bag to save on their paper/plastic bags (and usually means a discount for us as a result). I realize that our convictions run deeper than most people we know. That's ok...we're not going to go all PETA on people and expect them to live as we do (hey, we don't even like PETA). I just hope that the next time Christians are taking in the beauty of God's creation, that they understand just how much responsibility we bear in our dominion over it. And let us remember that while we may have dominion over the earth, we are not God...this earth is His creation.
The world is not ours to mess up.
Photo by Mary King (me)
7 comments:
I was struck by your last statement. It truly is an awesome responsibility to have dominion over something created by the One who has dominion over all, including us. An awesome responsibility, and a beautiful privilege.
Hi Mary,
You said it all in your last sentence. We don't mess up our ourn front yards, so we should exercise the same level of care over what's outside the perimeter of our homes, our suburbs, our cities.
Well said ...
Good thoughts, Mary. I think I'm largely with you and Wes. We need to be better stewards of God's gift to us, and indeed "the cultural mandate" of Genesis in us being rulers over the work of God's hands, continues for us today.
Speaking of messing things up, what do you think of us going down there for Thanksgiving and trashing your apartment for a few days?
l.l. barkat, David, and Ted...thank you so much for your comments! As I was reading Genesis 1 today, I noticed something very interesting. Verse 26 talks about created man in His image, but then goes right into man's rule over the earth. Then in verse 28, when Adam & Eve were created, God gives them two commands: to be fruitful & multiply, and to rule over the earth. Clearly God viewed it in high priority...that this was not something to be ignored or put off to the side "until they had time." Interesting stuff!!
Dad, I can't wait until you all are over and can eat my delicious food! I'm going to make a very good ham, and hopefully pumpkin cheesecake if I can get Wes to let me get a springform pan. I hope you're all able to stay for church too! :)
You're right, Mary, we're just tenants here ... and we sometimes forget to pay our dues!
Thank you for emphasizing personal responsibility. If more people cleaned up just one piece of litter, the world would better reflect God's glory, scarred as it is. I think the issue isn't so much environmentalism as a means to itself, but rather an expression of one's concern for others, and a respect for God.
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