Good Stewards Of The Earth

During my three years of vocational ministry, I spent many hours learning and teaching about human exploitation. While human trafficking immediately comes to most people’s minds when they hear the phrase “human exploitation,” I always think of another, less obvious form of human exploitation: exploitation of natural resources.

Exploitation of natural resources is both the misuse and abuse of God’s abundant creation which has been entrusted to us, and the disrespect of our neighbors—those present, those to come, and those around the world. As we disregard the earth and our role as stewards of God’s creation, we create an unequal burden on those who are most vulnerable in this lifetime and on all those who are to come.

If we believe that, “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein” (Psalm 24:1 KJV); and

If we believe that we are to do everything “for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31); and

If we believe that our lives are to be living “sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God,” for “this is our true and proper worship” (Romans 12:1); and

If we believe that we are truly to love our neighbors as ourselves (Matt. 22:29); and

If we believe that God created man and woman and commissioned humankind to take care of the earth and to care for and respect each other (Genesis 1 and 2); and

If we believe that God created God’s creation and called it good (Genesis 1)…

Then we must live, breathe, and demonstrate the understanding that we are an interdependent people: human to God, human to human, and human to natural resources.

Yes. God is Sovereign. Yes. God has ultimate power over God’s creation. But I just can’t believe that God controls this world as a puppeteer controls his puppets. Instead, I believe, God asks us to play a part in taking care of God’s creation—in living our lives in such a way that our lives and actions are worthy of the goodness of the God who created us and called us good—and in such ways that we will leave the world a better place than we found it for future generations—in such ways that this earth will be redeemed through the redemption of Jesus Christ—the same Christ of whom so many Christians profess to be the hands and feet.

We can pretend that global warming isn’t real. We can pretend that our excess production of trash for our own convenience has no impact on earth. We can pretend that using up fossil fuels and cutting down trees and bringing animals to extinction is all part of God’s plan for humans to dominate earth. But what if global warming is real? What if our excess production of trash is negatively affecting persons and nations who are already poor and lack resources to respond? What if God weeps over the way we are consuming God’s beautiful creation out of a greed for more?

We have got to do better. I have got to do better. God, forgive us, and help us to do better. Please. Amen.