Keeping God's Earth

This book has altered my perspective.

I've grown up with a disinterested view of environmentalism. It's not that I didn't think recycling wasn't valuable or more blatantly that the earth was made for humans and we might as well get what we can out of it as fast as possible. No, I didn't think in those terms, but I have been apathetic.

Following the demanding lines of "The Treasure Principle" and "Discipleship," this book leaves no wiggle room for practical application. You can disagree with the exegesis, but if you accept the exegesis you are forced into rigorous demands for a new way of life. In this case, a way of life that is more concerned about the Biblical Perspective on the Global Environment.

I suppose its easy to be disinterested in the environment that I call home. I have a new respect because of the global perspective. For example, the average U. S. resident is responsible for 176 gallons of water use per day. In Africa, per capita water use is 10 gallons (with a wide range above and and going as low as 3 gallons per day) and many of those people have no access to sanitary water. Me using less water for my shower might not help them, but selfless efforts like this do, and they show the love of the church for the human race that God has created.

The demand of the book, however, is not found in its explanation of man's needs. The demand is found in the Scriptural mandates to care for the earth. God has given every thing for our food (Gen. 9), but He has not taken away our mandate to act as stewards and gardeners. Block argues that even the imago Dei is less an image of selfish dominion and more and image of caretaking stewardship, for the Lord who will one day return and ask what we have done with the talents he has given us.

My perspective is changed. I'm not convinced that man can or should stop global warming. I'm not convinced that paper is better than plastic. But I am convinced that stewardship is my responsibility, possibly one of my primary responsibilities.