A friend made a comment to me about a year ago when I was first diving into sustainability. When I was sharing how big and damaging a lot of our everyday actions are they replied with “yeah, but I mean the world is going to end one day regardless.”
This statement shocked me at the time and I still think about it a lot. And therefore I just had to write this post and get this off my chest.
A Christian argument for sustainability
I am a Christian. A born again, dedicated, in love with Jesus Christ, Christian. This friend I was talking to is as well and that’s probably why it put me off so much. If a friend who isn’t a Christian had said the same thing I probably would have laughed and not thought too much about it.
But I’ve always believed that we have two homes. Our bodies and our planet. That’s it. I believe it’s our job to take care of them both.
If the belief that the world is going to end one day is an incentive to trash it and not take care of it then the same should apply to our bodies as well, right? We’re all going to die one day so what’s the point in eating healthy, working out or taking care of ourselves?
And in there lies the flaw with that initial statement. 1 Corinthians 6:19 states that our bodies are temples that deserve to be taken care of. I believe the same goes for our second home, the earth.
The Lord spent time crafting this beautiful world for us to live on, use and enjoy. Why do we think we can abuse it and it’s resources?
As Christians, I believe it is our sacred duty to care for the earth He has provided for us. I see too many Christians and people, in general, have little to no regard for the planet we call home. Littering, abusing animals and big corporations abusing every last natural resource we have. All for profit.
Revelation 11:8 says,
The nations raged, but your wrath came, and the time for the dead to be judges, and for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints, and those who fear your name, both small and great, and for destroying the destroyers of the earth.
The bible clearly states that those who destroy the earth will not go unpunished. Those that do destroy the earth usually do it for profit or out of laziness. I.e throwing your trash on the ground instead of carrying it until you find a trash can.
Here’s what the Bible has to say about taking care of our environment.
Genesis 2:15 says,
The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.
The word ‘keep’ translates from the Hebrew word “Shamar” meaning “to guard” or “to watch and protect” (Source)
What a beautiful sentiment. The creator of the universe has entrusted us to guard and protect the earth. We are stewards of this world, which he has given to us – entrusted us with. So far, I think we’ve let God down.
Our attitude that this earth is disposable because the world will end one day is foolish.
Psalms 104: 5 says,
God has established the earth on its foundations; it will not be moved from its place forever and ever.
Or
Ecclesiastes 1:4 that says,
The earth remains forever.
So it’s safe to say that the physical earth we inhabit will not “end” the way we think it will. Now, I’m not an expert, but if the earth is going to stick around forever and ever then it is our job to protect what God has given and preserve it for our children and our children’s children and however many generations are still yet to come.
Psalms 24:1-2 says,
The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it, for he founded it on the seas and established it on the waters.
Being stewards of this earth doesn’t mean that we have to adopt a perfect zero waste lifestyle (though that’s a great thing to strive for) but it does mean we need to exercise discernment in our daily habits. Perhaps that’s incorporating a recycling system in your homes, starting a compost bin, conserving water or consuming less plastic.
It’s important to be mindful of what we buy and consume. So easily in this world, we get caught up in what the next new thing is we need. This causes a lot of greed and waste which is harmful to our planet and abuse of our resources.
Now is not the time to take this subject lightly. Now is the time to stand up and fight for the gift God has given us. Our planet is truly suffering and on the verge of dying.
As Christians, we can truly be examples to the rest of the world by treating the earth and its inhabitants kindly.
For more info on living a more sustainable life, check out these posts!
Everyday changes you can make to create less waste
How to have a zero waste kitchen
Plastic free personal care routine
Preach it sister 🙂 Life in Jesus is a life of love and thankfulness… being HUMBLE, teachable and content. It’s basic accepted Biblical teaching to be thankful and content, and living a life of love. I think that should infiltrate all areas of our lives… how are we being thankful and content if we are participating in a wasteful, consumerist lifestyle? How are we living a life of love if we mindlessly consume what we don’t need and create waste, leaving a mess for others to take care of? It all seems pretty basic to me. For more reasons than just the issue of taking responsibility for our bodies and our homes, we need to start reading the Bible for ourselves, listening to the Holy Spirit for ourselves, and following His lead for ourselves… as opposed to simply looking at what typical Christian culture and society (and “authorities”) is doing and saying. Allow His love to truly transform us from the inside (daily, moment by moment), and the fruit, manifested in the natural, is probably not gonna look like a bunch of plastic garbage left everywhere, hurting each other and animals.