Real Hope: Social ResponsibilitySýnishorn

Stewardship Of Creation

I began a new morning routine this year. Not normally one for resolutions, I instead focus on resetting and realigning. This new routine consists of a morning walk to the beach and a swim. 

One morning after floating in the refreshing sea, I was on my towel, watching the world around me. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed an older woman strolling the shoreline, plastic bag in hand. Every few steps she stopped, bent down and picked something up. This caught my attention and, as I watched her continue for a moment, I realised she was picking up plastic. Tiny, little, broken pieces of plastic. The kind that would cause damage if our amazing ocean life swallowed it. The kind that had floated past me while I was swimming and, annoyed, had pushed it away.

In the moments leading up to seeing this woman, I had been praising God for His marvellous creation. I realised that what this woman was doing was a greater act of love and service to God’s creation than my words were ever going to be. My response didn’t need to be some sort of big, life-altering display – I didn’t need to go join Greenpeace or start a foundation to save the penguins. All I needed to do was to own the task given to me. Care for the land.

My new morning routine does not need to only benefit me. I, too, can spend at least one morning picking up the rubbish and plastics I find as I walk. I know that it won’t fix the issue, but as a steward of this earth and a beneficiary of its beauty, the very least I can do is honour God’s request and take care of His creation.

written by NERI MORRIS