Easter 4 / Earth Day: THE EARTH IS THE LORD'S

John 1:1-5

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.   He was in the beginning with God.   All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being.  What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people.  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

Psalm 24:1-2

The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it,
    the world, and those who live in it;
for he has founded it on the seas,
    and established it on the rivers.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.   He was in the beginning with God.   All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being.  What has come into being in him was LIFE...”  

Today is Earth Day Sunday.  Tomorrow, April 22nd,  is the actual celebration of Earth Day in most western countries, and today is the nearest Sunday.  Earth Day itself is a non-religious celebration, but most people of faith have little trouble with seeing it from a religious point of view.  If we believe God created all that is then it seems entirely appropriate that we celebrate that gift in gratitude.  At the very least, we should be always prepared to thank God for this wonderful world.   And I’m thinking it is entirely reasonable to look today at just how we treat this gift.  


In the rare moments when I have some time, I am a quilt maker.  I love the personal creativity that goes into making a quilt: designing a pattern, choosing the colors, cutting and sewing carefully to make something that is, at one and the same time, utilitarian and beautiful – warming to the body and pleasing to the spirit.  And crafted to last.  To maybe be passed down a generation or two.  I pretty much only make these for the people I love, so I have to tell you I don’t know how I would respond if I ever put all that love and hard work into a quilt, and then found a few weeks later that it was being used as the dog’s bed, or a grease rag in the garage – or if I found it had been sold in exchange for some ready cash.  I would certainly be deeply hurt.  And probably angry.  Really angry.  And I would not go out of my way to do anything nice for that person again.


Luckily, I’m not God – God is.  And God is so much more loving and forgiving than I will ever be – but that does not mean that I have any business continuing to dis-respect God’s gifts to me, just because I expect to be forgiven.  Why would I want to mis-use and abuse a gift made for me in love?  Because that is what we who live here on this planet are doing– we are dis-respecting and mis-using this glorious gift – this creation – this life – that God has given us.  Unfortunately, Christian understanding of scripture has too often taught us that we – humans – have been given the earth and everything in it to use.  It’s all for us – and for us to do whatever we want with it.  


I was once told–in absolute seriousness–that Jesus is coming again soon and when he’s through with the earth he’s just going to destroy it anyway, so we Christians don’t need to bother with taking care of the earth. That, my dear people, is what we in theological circles call hog-wash.  We are told in scripture to care for creation.  We were told we could use much of creation for food – but we were never told we could trash it all just out of greed or laziness.  


We are told to be good stewards of the earth.  Do you remember Jesus’ parable of the talents?  The one where three servants were given money to use any way they wanted, but they had to make it worthwhile?  Jesus praised the two servants who used the money well, but he was not at all kind in describing the one who misused the gift he was given.


How are we using this gift God has given us?  After all, this is the biggest gift of them all – this is life itself.  This is home and livelihood and nurture – and it is all these things not only for humankind but for ALL of creation.  Any good reading of scripture makes it clear that God loves ALL of creation – not just us.  Unfortunately, we too often read scripture with our minds already made up as to what it says – and subsequently we miss things it really does say.  This jewel of a world is God’s love and passion and creativity made flesh and rock and fin and leaf.  Mount Everest to a rose petal to a sea urchin to a newborn baby – the whole shebang.  How are we treating it?  How are we doing at being good stewards?


Questions of the environment have been so politicized in recent years that it has become almost impossible to have a rational conversation.  Those who have a financial or political stake in maintaining the status quo have convinced many that thinking in environmental terms is a waste of time and money – it’s all a plot – by somebody – to take away your rightful stuff.  They have convinced themselves – and too many others – that making money and having more stuff is what really matters in this life.  Get the latest electronic gadget!  And if we have to destroy a wilderness area to get you more electricity for your gadget – have to inadvertently wipe out a species or two – oh, well – it’s your right!  


Really?  It’s your right to destroy this world that God made for us?

If we view this as a faith issue, I believe it suddenly becomes much simpler.  How are we taking care of God’s incredible creation?  Are we loving it as God loved it into existence?  Or are we buying into a system that tells us we have to have industries that spew carcinogenic pollutants into the air?  Are we really OK with higher rates of cancer worldwide?  Do we tell ourselves that God really doesn’t mind if we destroy a whole mountain range and the plants and animals – and humans – that once lived there – just because someone discovered a money-making mineral underneath it?  Do we really think God doesn’t care? 


Is it really so necessary for us to have a TV as big as a wall that we don’t mind polluting an entire watershed to produce it?  Do you really need more stuff?  I love the cable commercials that show people moving from room to room without missing a line of TV dialogue because there seems to be a TV in every room, including the garage.  Really?  You might want to re-read Jesus’ story of the rich man who had so much he built vast granaries to hold it all, but then died that very night – leaving all his stuff behind him.  


I think these are valid theological questions for people of faith.  Are we willing to stand before God and take responsibility for the damage we create so we can have our life-styles?  Or could we perhaps do with just a little less?  Can we take the time to look into the cost of the choices we make?  Maybe investigate other ways to live here on this earth?  Like pay a few pennies more for locally grown produce rather than having our lettuce shipped halfway around the world at who-knows-what environmental cost?


Take responsibility.  Educate ourselves – (and don’t just look at sources we know will tell us what we want to hear.)  We can change.  Some change is huge and overwhelming, but many things are small and not that hard and really do make a difference.


Can we respect God enough to care for creation?  Love the life God gives us enough to try to take good care of it?  Do we really value it?  Can we try?