In the beginning, God created the heavens and the Earth (Genesis 1:1). In just seven days, He created everything from the light that allows us to see, to the very first humans, Adam and Eve. And God rested that seventh day, having seen his creation was complete (Genesis 2:2). The world he had created was good. But things would soon change.
Since the original sin, humankind had been instructed to use the Earth and its resources to get by, working hard to ensure survival for their families. With the eventual rise of industry and technology, the use of these resources has increased exponentially—both to our benefit and detriment.
No doubt you’ve seen all over social media and the news talk of the Paris Agreement, and the decision made for the United States not to take part in it. Under this agreement, we would have joined nearly 200 other countries in keeping the global temperature from rising two degrees Celsius, a little over 35 degrees Fahrenheit, over the next century in an effort to reduce the effects of climate change.
The health of the environment (or rather, its decline) has been something of a hot topic (pun not intended) for quite some time now. From pollution and deforestation to the diminution of the bee population, concern for the state of the planet we call home has risen like the sea levels.
According to the National Ocean Service, the global sea level has been rising over the past 100 years, and rates have only been increasing in recent decades. They reported that just three years ago, the global sea level was 2.6 inches above the 1993 average, which was the highest annual average in satellite record. Furthermore, the sea level seems to rise at a rate of about one-eighth of an inch per year.
This drastic climate change has also been causing disruptions to agriculture, causing many regions to see a decline in crop and livestock production due to climate change induced stresses (says globalchange.gov). One thing many experts seem to agree on is we have not been very kind to our home. But exactly how much are we to blame?
Going back to Genesis 2:15, “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and keep it.” So from the beginning, we have been called to look after the home God created for us to have dominion over. And in Leviticus 25:2, Moses is told to instruct the Israelites that when they enter the promised land, the land itself must observe a Sabbath, time to rest and replenish. If we apply this verse to modern day, it can be inferred we have not been giving our land much rest, and have been consuming almost more than it can produce.
As I have read more into this issue from a biblical standpoint, I’ve seen a few people say this Earth is a temporary home, and all of our focus should be on our forever home, in Heaven with our Lord, rather than on something transitory that will, on Judgement Day, ultimately be destroyed in favor of a new Earth (Revelation 21:1). While a strong point, there is still something to be said about caring for our temporary home.
The way I have come to see it is the Earth is sort of like a hotel. We’re checked in when we’re born, and we check out when we pass away. Most often when we stay at a hotel, we are expected to take care of the room we are offered and treat our temporary neighbors with respect, so the hotel is hospitable for the next person who will be offered that space.
The same can be said about our time on Earth. While we are here fulfilling the purpose God has intended for us, we are responsible for keeping our temporary living space livable and being graceful to our co-inhabitants, and keeping the Earth a decent place to live for our children, the next people God will place on the planet for different purposes.
Many believe we are approaching the end times, so incentive to care for the environment of the Earth may not be a high priority. My feeling is, since we know not the day nor the hour (Matthew 24:36), we should still do our part in making this temporary home as healthy as possible for potential future generations.
I suppose you could look at it this way: If you were to stay at a hotel you knew could potentially go out of business, should that change the way you treat the room, staff, and fellow and potential guests?
The issue of climate change as a whole is obviously too grand for one person to take on, but we can all take some small part in keeping our hotel space clean—whether that’s taking a bike to the store, making an effort to save water, or recycling to benefit the next in line. You can do your part by recycling your scrap metals. If you want to make some money out of it, you can find the best scrap copper prices Sydney at Austick.
Melissa Ruiz
Old Millenial, Batman and Star Wars fan, Freelancer, New England Grrl, Mom, Christian, Geek.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. COOKIE SETTINGSACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
