7UP: Go Green!
Genesis 1:26-28, 31
October 19, 2008
We are continuing to look at seven areas to give over to God in order to follow Jesus in holistic community. That is, seven areas (7UP) to God to be completely, holistically set apart for God’s use. When one or more of these areas are neglected or we refuse to seek God’s will for us, then we are limited in our growth in other areas.
This week we are going to look at the environmental area. The symbol is soil and plants and life. To get guidance for this area, we will look at Genesis 1:26-28 and then verse 31. I also will slip in a few verses from the second creation account found chapter 2.
There was a little girl who went to stay with her grandparents who lived in the country. The grandparents had worked the land by farming and raising animals but now just kept a small portion for themselves while they leased out the land for others. This little girl, her name was Michaela, was fascinated by nature and farm life since she lived in the suburbs.
Grandma took little Michaela out to a little patch of corn that they still farmed and put her to work picking the corn. Grandma begin teaching Michaela telling her that God made the corn grow and it was God’s blessing to them and therefore we should strive to take care of the land and nature and the environment as a gift and blessing from God.
For about ten minutes, this was exciting and cool for little Michaela, picking corn that is. At first it didn’t seem like work but after ten minutes for a six year-old, her enthusiasm waned considerably. Finally, Michaela turned to her grandmother in an effort to get them to move on to some other activity said, “Grandma, you know that you buy this stuff in the grocery, don’t you?”
When the Hebrew scriptures talk about dominion or rule (as was read earlier), some use this to justify that humans are entitled to use and abuse our environment and natural resources any way that we want. But that is not what the context indicates.
In 2:15, the second version of creation tells us that the man was put into the garden to work and take care of it. Whenever God talks about a king ruling over people, God’s intent is for the king to nurture the people, to be just and do what is right, to be a model of godly character for others to follow, and to lead others into the worship of the one God.
Therefore, in Genesis, God’s original call for humans “to rule” was to take care of their environment, nurture its growth, keep things in some semblance of order, and in doing so not allow any of the other created things become idols or gods over us. When we refuse or ignore the original purpose that God has given us, this seems to me to be slothful.
So environment, what then is our response-ability? If God is to be in control of this area, then what does it mean?
Our Response-Ability: Care for environment
• Conserve
Things like conservation. Don’t waste what we have. Little things like turning off lights. Proper insulation. Programmable thermostats not only save you money help conserve as well. This all helps our environment and the world that the next generations will inherit. Fix leaky faucets.
Reuse things as well. I try to reuse paper. Part of the benefits of not having a bulletin is reducing the amount of paper that we use.
• Recycle
This is huge and a fairly easy. Recycle glass, plastic, paper, and cardboard.
Yet, excuses still abound. “It’s too hard. It’s too messy. It’s too inconvenient. It’s takes too much time.” I just have one thing to say—“Wah!”
“It doesn’t really matter. What difference can I make?” Actually each one of us makes a huge difference. Do you believe that every single person matters to God? Do you believe that you matter to God? Then why would be so hard to believe that you can make a difference here. And that we (together) can make a huge difference.
“It’s all some liberal agenda to take down big business.” I’ve heard this and honestly it is rooted in ignorance. When in Ireland, I was so impressed with the overall concern for the environment and how widespread the efforts were at changing the way we take care of our world.
“It costs too much.” Sometimes it does cost more to do something that is right, good, fair, and just.
“It’s all going to be burned up anyway.” That’s just lame and bad theology as well. God said that what he created was very good! In fact, throughout the bible and especially in Revelation, those who destroy his creation are characterized as the enemies of God. I wonder whose side we are really on.
“It’s too hard to change my ways. I’ve never had to do it before.” “Changing our ways” is the very basis of what it means to follow Jesus and be a Christian. Repentance means to turn around and go in the opposite direction. And that’s the point, many people haven’t really surrendered this area to God. We haven’t sought to do what is right.
So recycle.
• Consume Responsibly
Be more active in knowing what you are buying and who you are buying it from. For example, fair trade is a designation used for coffee and tea to not only make sure that justice is done by paying farmers fair wages but they also make sure that these farmers farm responsibly: they take care of the land, they don’t farm the nutrients out of soil, they don’t farm cocoa beans that will be used for cocaine. So purchasing fair trade is good for the environment.
The US has better regulations for companies in regards to waste and their environment. Going overseas and to Mexico provides the benefit of lower wages but also companies do not have to spend money to prevent the waste products from hurting the land. Many of these companies are in China.
Do the companies that you buy from, manufacture responsibly? This is hard because it takes some time to sort through all the information and misinformation and misinterpretation.
Sometimes it costs more to do what is right. Sometimes it literally costs more to purchase products that are environmental friendly or are just better for the environment. For example, hybrid not only save gas but reduce greenhouse emissions but they cost more right now.
I feel God has asked me is: What will the cost be in the long term?
• Encourage Regulation
This could be touchy for some of us. But sometimes we need more or at least better laws. For example, the “no smoking” law is better for the air that I breathe. It is better for my environment. It also puts restaurants on equal footing.
I own stock in YUM, which is Pizza Hut, KFC, and Taco Bell. Repeatedly, the board of directors have refused to make their restaurants smoke-free citing that they comply to current regulations and doing so would put their restaurants at a disadvantage to other restaurants that allow it. Basically, it would hurt business.
Of course, I am disappointed that YUM has refused to become an industry leader but I also figure other restaurant chains use the same excuse. The solution is to create new legislation and regulations that put the companies on equal footing.
So we may need to be more vocal and active in encouraging out lawmaker in creating laws and regulations that make companies take care of the environment.
• Reduce your carbon footprint
This is a pretty popular idea and it is debated on how effective it is. But it sure can’t hurt. You can go online to sites like http://www.carbonfootprint.com/ and calculate how much CO2 emissions you contribute through utilities and travel. Then you can figure out ways such as planting trees to offset your CO2 production. It is worth checking out.
• Revamp your environment
Part of this is not just about economics and preventing the destruction of our world. Taking care of the environment is also about beautifying your surroundings. Planting trees, flowers, and bushes can help the air and look beautiful.
Last week, Paul said to think on things that we lovely and admirable. In the last century or so, churches have gone very pragmatic and practical. Some have even intentionally stripped away religious decorations as either superfluous or as barriers to those who are seeking.
I really believe that visual symbols and icons and artwork help facilitate worship. They help us think about praiseworthy things. Nature is wonderful for leading into worship. The church has had a great legacy for glorifying God through art and beautiful expressions. And I believe we can do better. I believe we should reclaim this.
Can I be honest here? Will you promise not to be offended? I love the narthex. I love the couches and most of the paintings. I love the foot washing painting. We could use some more. I loved what Elisha and Terry did on the one wall for Kid’s Day. BUT! And this is a pretty big but (pun intended). Our sanctuary is drab. It is pretty lame. We’ve done a lot to improve things such as eliminating the 70’s paneling look (which is one of those practical things because you don’t have to paint it). We’ve added some lighting. But there is so much more we could do.
I love what we’ve done at different times of the year. Well, what Terry and Kim and Judy and I think Jessica did a little at Christmas last year. Those things were a lot of work. Like those rocks for Easter one year, wow. And those were so conducive to entering into worship. At least for me. Even the decorations for Kid’s Day were powerful expressions of joy and celebration in the Lord. The prayer wall downstairs is awesome!
But we need more help and ideas. Especially for this corner up here on the platform. I don’t know about you but this corner is not very inspiring. I mean, I’ve tried. In fact, just so you know, let’s all try together. Okay, let’s look up here and just let the Holy Spirit move in us and let us be reminded of the greatness of God. Nothing. I’m not getting anything here. Can someone help me? I’ve got nothing. In fact, I don’t have any ideas to fix it. Maybe some banners but just doesn’t seem big enough.
Think about this admirable thing, ok. Pray about it. Besides all the ideas that I’ve given about your responsibility to take care of God’s creation, pray about something to help us enter into worship for this space. Then of course, there are other spaces as well like between the windows. Banners would be nice there but they can get expensive real fast. So pray about that.
God wants us to be partners in his creation. He made us to take care of it. Sure, God could have made it really easy. If God intended man to live on bread, why didn’t he create a bread tree?’ And the answer, in effect, is that God could have created a tree that produced crusty loaves of bread, but he prefers to offer us a grain and invite us to buy a field and plant the seed. He prefers that we till the soil while he sends the rain. He prefers that we harvest the crop while he sends sunshine. He prefers that we grind the crop and knead it and bake it while he gives us air in our lungs and strength in our arms. Why? Because he would rather that we become partners with him in creation.
Have you turned this area over to God? Or do you do what you want when you want? Have you taken responsibility for your part in creation? What is God calling you to do? Is God calling you to step up and serve him at a higher level? The environment. We can’t follow Jesus holistically, completely without giving this area up to God.
