Today is Earth Day or Creation Care Day or whatever term you would like to use. Do we have a duty to take care of the earth or is it something that we can use to our heart's content? The classic biblical text relating to taking care of the earth is from Genesis 1:28, "God blessed them [humans], and God said to them, 'Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.'" God has given us this earth, this creation, to use and to make use of. In fact God says as much in the next 2 verses where there is a list of all that God has given to us. What these verses do not talk about is exploiting the earth and using all that there is to our own benefit in the here and now not leaving anything for the next generation. Just like everything else in life we must be careful stewards of this earth.
"Going green" has been a popular phrase over the last couple of years. I am continually amazed at watching "This Old House" on television and seeing what new and innovative ways there are in thinking about environmentally friendly building. The movement has come from just basic recycling programs to dual flush toilets to compact fluorescent light bulbs. Everybody seems to be riding this bandwagon: Governments, politicians, would-be-presidents, and on and on it goes. While a lot has been focused on energy consumption and pollution, what we do with things such as wood makes a big difference too.
In the last two issues of the journal of the American Association of Woodturners, "American Woodturner," there has been a two part series on the finding out where the wood that is used in wood turning, which is generally exotic, comes from and whether or not it is of an endangered species. I must confess that prior to reading the article I did not really think about it. If I saw a piece of wood in a store that I liked, and if I had the money, I bought it. The article points out that there are several types of wood that are on the brink of extinction. Perhaps the line of use and exploitation has been crossed.
Last week I ran across a poorly produced program from the BBC (The only reason I give it poor remarks is that they featured Minneapolis in the program and also my hometown and a few other suburbs that I know about in this ridiculous soap opera type story that was more about the story then it was about facts. The story was about what happens when there is no more oil, very few facts mostly story). The credible sources say that in 2016, at the current rate of consumption, the world will run out of oil. Now I do not know whether or not this is true, but what about the things that we are trying to do. Still the question to be raised is: What is our duty towards the use of oil and other natural fuels? Has the line been crossed between exploitation and responsible use?
While the debate is ongoing between exploitation and responsibility, I think that we do need to be careful with how we use these resources that God has given to us. God commanded humanity to use carefully the resources of earth, to treat the world with respect--after all God did create the world, just as God created us and so as God takes care of us, so must we take care of the earth. There is a warning here as well. We must be careful to not worship creation which is what can happen when we misplace the value of the earth over God. Urgency and correction are necessary just as when a person breaks an arm or a leg, but when the focus is so great that the big picture is lost then it is a whole different story. If someone will not buy anything made of paper because they want to save a tree then that is wrong. Forests need to be weeded out every now and then, growth cut down in a responsible manner--we all know what happens when responsible thinning of the forests does not happen.
As we come closer to God, God shows us how to be responsible, not only in our lives, but even with how we care for the earth. I have always been big on recycling--since elementary school at least and that is one step that we can all take. Being careful with how we drive, not a bunch of small trips when one or two things are needed, but instead when there is enough to make a trip worthwhile. Being careful with the amount of electricity and the water we use is also being responsible. God put us here on earth to serve and worship, to come to faith in Jesus Christ; but also gave us the world to use and to be responsible with--not to make it a slave.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Friday, April 11, 2008
A 20 Year Anniversary
This past Monday, April 7, 2008, marked the 20th anniversary of the first death that I ever experienced. It also was the first death of someone very close to me. On April 7, 1988; my grandma, Marion Stonina entered eternal life. It seems to me that she died during the night and that it was near the end of the week, but I do not remember for sure. I did not know my grandpa on my dad's side of the family, so my only connection with my dad and aunt's mom and dad was through my grandma--obviously.
Over the last few weeks I have been reflecting on those 20 years. How much has changed in our family, our nation, and our world. We have endured in this time violence that we never thought would come upon our shores as a nation: Rise in school shootings, Oklahoma City, 9-11, etc. Our world has come ever closer together with the advent of the Internet, and global communication and cell phones.
But as I look over these last 20 years I think about the changes in our family. Both me and my sister graduated from high school. I got a degree from Northwestern College in Pastoral Studies. I graduated from North Park Theological Seminary, and I am now a pastor in Michigan. My sister has gotten married and has 2 boys with a baby on the way. We have learned to drive. We have had our first jobs, made our first paychecks, and moved away from home. Since grandma's death we have had to gather as a family for several other deaths, including one of her sisters who died last August.
But there are also many good times to think about as well. I remember a grandma who put on a spread at Easter and Christmas and Thanksgiving that rivals anything our family does now. I especially remember the cookies and the rosettes at Christmas. Grandma's house was always fun to go to at Christmas. I know of no one that decorated their Christmas tree so full that you could not even tell that it was a tree. There were also those times that I remember during other times of the year as well. Going to grandma's house was a treat and something special. It was fun and even though she could not play hopscotch or run around the yard with my sister and me (she lost a leg when it was severed by a train when she was little) she was still fun to be around. Every once in a while I still hear her voice.
I know she was committed to Christ, because who else, as the story is told, could convince her Roman Catholic priest to do the wedding of my dad and my Mennonite mom. She was committed to Christ in other ways as well. I remember going into her bedroom, which was just off the kitchen, and seeing the crucifix on the wall, last year's palm branch neatly folded into some shape and the candle holders and the crucifix next her bed. On the wall at the foot of her bed were her pictures of her family--her children when they were young, a wedding picture, a family picture, and pictures of her grandchildren--which were displayed in many other places throughout the house as well. I like to think that there was a time in the evening and the morning, and perhaps at other times as well, that she would spend time in prayer and thus a silent witness to the Christ to whom she served.
I wish she had lived a little bit longer, so that she could have seen her grandchildren grow up a little more and to see her children grow up a little more; but our loss is heaven's gain and I know that for me I am thankful for the memories that I do have and that I did get to know her, for a little while.
Thank you God!
Over the last few weeks I have been reflecting on those 20 years. How much has changed in our family, our nation, and our world. We have endured in this time violence that we never thought would come upon our shores as a nation: Rise in school shootings, Oklahoma City, 9-11, etc. Our world has come ever closer together with the advent of the Internet, and global communication and cell phones.
But as I look over these last 20 years I think about the changes in our family. Both me and my sister graduated from high school. I got a degree from Northwestern College in Pastoral Studies. I graduated from North Park Theological Seminary, and I am now a pastor in Michigan. My sister has gotten married and has 2 boys with a baby on the way. We have learned to drive. We have had our first jobs, made our first paychecks, and moved away from home. Since grandma's death we have had to gather as a family for several other deaths, including one of her sisters who died last August.
But there are also many good times to think about as well. I remember a grandma who put on a spread at Easter and Christmas and Thanksgiving that rivals anything our family does now. I especially remember the cookies and the rosettes at Christmas. Grandma's house was always fun to go to at Christmas. I know of no one that decorated their Christmas tree so full that you could not even tell that it was a tree. There were also those times that I remember during other times of the year as well. Going to grandma's house was a treat and something special. It was fun and even though she could not play hopscotch or run around the yard with my sister and me (she lost a leg when it was severed by a train when she was little) she was still fun to be around. Every once in a while I still hear her voice.
I know she was committed to Christ, because who else, as the story is told, could convince her Roman Catholic priest to do the wedding of my dad and my Mennonite mom. She was committed to Christ in other ways as well. I remember going into her bedroom, which was just off the kitchen, and seeing the crucifix on the wall, last year's palm branch neatly folded into some shape and the candle holders and the crucifix next her bed. On the wall at the foot of her bed were her pictures of her family--her children when they were young, a wedding picture, a family picture, and pictures of her grandchildren--which were displayed in many other places throughout the house as well. I like to think that there was a time in the evening and the morning, and perhaps at other times as well, that she would spend time in prayer and thus a silent witness to the Christ to whom she served.
I wish she had lived a little bit longer, so that she could have seen her grandchildren grow up a little more and to see her children grow up a little more; but our loss is heaven's gain and I know that for me I am thankful for the memories that I do have and that I did get to know her, for a little while.
Thank you God!
How and When to Help
I knew that it would happen sooner or later. Although, to be honest I wish it would have happened later. This morning I got my first call for assistance. I listened to the woman's story, she did not need food for her baby, she only needed money to get back home. As I was listening to her story some things were not adding up and I became suspicious of the whole story; she told the story twice and it was a little bit different both times. I really want to give people the benefit of the doubt, I don't want to be putting off who have legitimate needs.
This goes back to that conundrum that we all face in life. Having lived in big cities all of my life; I became suspicious whenever anybody asked me for money. The thoughts start running through the mind: Are they a drug addict or an alcoholic who needs to get a fix? Do they want a hand out so they can go and gamble? Are they really in need, in the first place? Only once, while living in Chicago, did I run into a situation that I feel that I could really be of help. A woman approached me, while in downtown, crying and saying that she needed diapers for her baby. A Walgreen's happened to be nearby, but unfortunately at 5 or 6 on a Saturday evening, the store had already closed and not knowing downtown really well, I could not point her in a direction to help.
While we have all been confronted with this issue at some point in our lives, what guidelines do we use to make sure that we are helping someone? Every time I am approached with this subject I am reminded of the words of Jesus: "The poor you will always have among you." Jesus is saying to do good to them, to help them out. Jesus does not want the help himself because he says that he will not be with the hearers much longer. Are we to rely on our gut feeling when confronted with such issues? What are some others thoughts?
This goes back to that conundrum that we all face in life. Having lived in big cities all of my life; I became suspicious whenever anybody asked me for money. The thoughts start running through the mind: Are they a drug addict or an alcoholic who needs to get a fix? Do they want a hand out so they can go and gamble? Are they really in need, in the first place? Only once, while living in Chicago, did I run into a situation that I feel that I could really be of help. A woman approached me, while in downtown, crying and saying that she needed diapers for her baby. A Walgreen's happened to be nearby, but unfortunately at 5 or 6 on a Saturday evening, the store had already closed and not knowing downtown really well, I could not point her in a direction to help.
While we have all been confronted with this issue at some point in our lives, what guidelines do we use to make sure that we are helping someone? Every time I am approached with this subject I am reminded of the words of Jesus: "The poor you will always have among you." Jesus is saying to do good to them, to help them out. Jesus does not want the help himself because he says that he will not be with the hearers much longer. Are we to rely on our gut feeling when confronted with such issues? What are some others thoughts?
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