Living Ethically In The Modern Worldნიმუში

Once God finished his incredible creation, he handed to man possibly the biggest responsibility of all time: his creation. The wild creatures, sea life, vegetation, seed-bearing plants and trees were all put under our stewardship.

It’s enough responsibility having to babysit a friend’s fish when they go on vacation, so when I think about what it really means that we have been called and ordained by God to look after his earth, I panic. 
 
Do we take our stewardship responsibility of the earth seriously enough? 
 
I don’t think of myself a massive animal lover yet I was shocked to discover that the world’s wildlife has halved in the last 40 years. Populations of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish have declined by 52% and freshwater species have fallen by 76%. What does it mean to be a good steward of God’s creation when faced with such alarming stats? 
 
We are entirely dependent on the world and its resources to keep us alive. If I eat a hamburger, I’m likely playing a part in the demise of the Amazonian eco-system.
 
Jesus’ greatest commandments were simple, to love God and others. The commandment in Genesis to be good stewards of creation is inextricably linked to this: to love God and others is to look after the earth. To love others as ourselves means that we need to protect the planet from further climate change, as well as protecting those already living in poverty. This is a call, not an optional extra. God’s holy words ordain us to look after “everything that has the breath of life in it.” 
 
Spend time today asking God what it means to be a responsible steward his creation. What could you do differently this week to protect what he has made?