As we have been learning about the various environmental crises and what we might do about them, I am realizing that my worldview is slowly being changed for the better. And why is it being changed? Well, for starters, the basic command Jesus gave us was to love others better than ourselves which means to think about other people’s well-being first and foremost. Doesn’t this include taking care of the land, air, and water that future generations of people will need to be healthy? This is one logical reason to take this seriously. And I am all about logic.
Another thing I knew about but did not quite think about much is the drastic difference in lifestyle between Americans and much of the rest of the world. I have an aunt and uncle who just returned from living in Germany for three years. They talked about how there really wasn’t such thing as disposable plates, silverware, or cups. At a potluck or family get-together, everyone would bring their own eating utensils and wash them afterwards. Of course this is a lot more work but it is just a way of life in Germany. The more I think about it, the more I realize that the throw-away mindset of Americans is a very real and a very alarming concept.
If you read my blog last week, you would know that I was feeling a bit overwhelmed and frustrated by the content we had been discussing in class. There seemed to be too many problems and no practical way to fix things. This is why I thought that both the readings this week and the class period in which Carla Sunberg talked were excellent! The idea that living a holy life, set apart from “the world” includes being aware of creation makes sense. If we believe that we are actively apart of the kingdom of God now, then it follows that we should be actively pursuing the call to restore creation just as God will do eventually. N.T. Wright writes, “If we are already in Christ, already indwelt by the Spirit, we cannot say we shall wait until God does it in the end. We must be God’s agents in bringing, at the very least, signs of that renewal in the present time”. We are called to be in the kingdom now, to be apart of God’s restoration not only in the lives of people but in the planet he created.
Finally, what are we supposed to do about it? Dr. Sunberg talked about serving the poor, something that is greatly talked about throughout the Bible. We also discussed giving up dreams of certain, comfortable lifestyles as well as living authentically. These are all tangible ways we can live this life responsibly. Like I said in my last blog, we can not take on every cause no matter how much it pulls at our heart strings. But we can do what God calls us to do in our individual lives whether that means fighting for the rights of trafficked children in the Ivory Coast or living informed, responsible lives that can be seen as an example in our churches, neighborhoods, and workplaces. Another quote that I think sums up what we are called by God to do comes again from N.T. Wright, “Like craftsmen working on a great cathedral, we have been given instruction about the particular stone we are to spend our lives carving, without knowing or being able to guess where it will take its place within the grand eventual design.” We may never know the impact each choice we make in this life but, if we are seeking God and his will, we can trust that he will work through us to build his kingdom.
Great post, Ellie!
ReplyDeleteI can see you have been giving this issue a lot of thought, and I agree that my own worldview is being changed as I am exposed to all of the destruction that is going on in the world. I appreciated what you had to say about Jesus' command to love others, which means to put their well-being before ourselves. I feel like many Christians forget that this applies to future generations of people as well. The decisions we make every single day have an unknown impact on the many generations to come.
I really liked your response to the problem: that by living out a holy and set-apart life, we can bring change in the world. We can't individually solve a big issue like child-trafficking, but we can make every decision we make in order to bring about change. If we want to begin getting rid of America's throw away mentality, we can bring about change by switching to non-disposable utensils for eating and drinking and educating others about it. This is a simple change that can bring about lasting effects because others are always watching the way we live. On our own we cannot accomplish anything, but if God is with us, we can accomplish great things.
Rebekah Johnson
I can absolutely relate to your discussion on how ecological issues were somewhat avoided in your upbringing. I feel that I grew up in a very similar, very conservative environment, where I was certainly not ever told that taking care of creation was a bad thing, but I also seemed to be given the idea that the concerns of environmentalists were not of much merit. I remember having a conversation with a family member right before coming back to Olivet this semester, in which we were discussing population limitations. As this was before having studied the things we have looked at so far this semester, I didn’t know a whole lot on the topic, but I argued that at some point there must be limitations to the sustainability of the human population. My family member seemed to be taken aback by the thought of any issue with the human population, or at least believed that any such limits were so minimal that we would never have any reason to consider them. She certainly cares about the earth and humanity, but as we have said, she just seemed to have been instilled with the idea that such issues are more political in nature. It makes me curious to see where this mindset originated.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I really appreciated how you stated that you were grateful that your worldview is being challenged. I think that it is so important that we challenge our beliefs, not so much that we abandon any beliefs but so that we may be able to recognize why we hold such a worldview. I realize that many of us have been challenged and overwhelmed by the topics of this semester, and while I don’t desire for any of us to be overwhelmed to the point of feeling defeated, I think that it is great that we are uncomfortable. These issues are not meant to be easy. It is only when you feel uncomfortable in your beliefs that you can make serious strides in strengthening them.
-Brad Fitzgerald
Ellie,
ReplyDeleteI completely agree that this week was so much easier to swallow. So much around us lately has been making me also feel like all the problems around us are too overwhelming and negative to know where even to start. Carla Sunberg definitely helped give perspective and even spur us on to our power in his Kingdom. I also can relate to what you said about our American culture being so different than so many other countries. When I went to Haiti on a mission trip last spring, I could not believe the ways God revealed Himself amidst all the poverty. While they might not have had much, the certainly had deep faith. It was an extremely eye opening experience to know how tight our chains of materialism are in our country.
I thought you had such good insight, and I love how seriously you're taking our responsibility as Christians.
Such a great job Ellie!
Ellie,
ReplyDeleteI am definitely in the same place as you. I have been feeling so challenged by the topics we've been talking about in class. It is so difficult to talk about such complex issues because we so badly expect answers. There is not always an easy answer. I can relate to both the feelings of frustration and thankfulness. While it is difficult to talk about these things, it is important that we are actively challenging the way we think and what we believe. The moment we become comfortable is the moment we fail to see the issues in the world and are then unable to respond and take action. With these complex issues we have been discussing, I believe that we must do exactly what Dr. Sunberg explained. We must live authentic Christian lives. Some might say this solution is a "cop out", as many simple solutions may seem, but I believe that this is probably the only way for us to aid in a solution to most of the issues we've discussed. I don't have the means to travel to Africa and stop human trafficking. I can, however, dedicate my life to living as Christ did. Maybe, just maybe, if this became a priority, we would see solutions to these issues.