Environmentalists...radicals or role models

I was riding in the car with my aunt one time. Don't remember where we were...even which continent we were on...what we were doing, where we were going. I just remember that I'd just taken some candy or something out of a wrapper, rolled the window down, and casually tossed the wrapper out. Didn't think anything of it...went on enjoying my treat.

I remember my aunt ruining the moment and lecturing me (everything's a lecture when you're young) about the environment, how everything in creation is so important to God, and how we have been given the responsibility to look after it.

You know, that really stuck with me and to be honest I don't believe I've littered since then. My to-be kids are always amazed when we're walking through the park or something and we see a beer bottle in the middle of the sidewalk...and their to-be dad stops to pick it up and throw it away. Why? To be an environmental hero? To impress them? To impress you? No!

Take a read through chapter 1 of Genesis. Aren't you in awe of what God did? The beauty...the goodness. As you read through the chapter you see how pleased He is with creation and then something happens...down around verse 26. Man was created...I like how the Message puts it, He created man "...reflecting God's nature." He challenged them to take charge...to care for all of creation. I'll say it again, all of creation.

Environmentalists really get a bad name because of some of the radical things that they do...and granted, some of it is not of God. But we, as followers of Christ, need to look at this with a different perspective. Creation, not just us...but all of it, is something that really pleases God. As we grow to be more like Him shouldn't we have that reality more and more reflected in ourselves? And if so, shouldn't we be doing all we can to live up to the challenge He gave us in the beginning?

Make a habit of seeing how you are caring for creation.