Redeeming Biblical Environmental Stewardship

You see the phrases everywhere- on the news, on billboards, on social media, or even overhearing it discussed by someone next to you in public.

Go Green!

Save the ocean.

"12 Ways to Take Action against Climate Change"

Stop pollution now.

"I'm zero waste."

And although there are differing views on the state of the Earth's health that are influenced by a number of ideologies, especially political philosophy, it seems from a biblical standpoint there don't seem to be many Christians discussing it openly. My desire is to speak directly to the Christians that do care, yet haven't considered the importance of environmental stewardship as it relates to our obedience to God and sharing Christ with the world.

Overall I would say it's not that Christians don't care about the Earth God created, but oftentimes we may feel it is secondary in importance to the souls of those who live on the Earth. Of course this is true.

However, we mustn't forget that as Christians, we are those that have been tasked with stewardship for all that we have been given.

What is stewardship?

The Oxford dictionary defines stewardship as "the job of supervising or taking care of something, such as an organization or property".

Granted, we are tasked to stewardship in many areas of life including family, finances, our general walk in our Christian faith, and beyond. There are many references to general stewardship covering a variety of topics in the bible including Proverbs 12:10, Genesis 2:15, Genesis 1:26-28, Psalm 8:6-8, Philippians 2:4, 1 Corinthians 4:2, and more.

To be clear, I am not advocating for a secular view of politically correct action with a coat of Christian paint on it.

This beautiful Earth-the one with breathtaking heights of jagged mountains, mossy forest floors, the beauty and power of deep, thriving oceans, the stillness and wonder of a barren, dry desert, the calm peace of verdant fields of clover and grass blowing in the spring wind, the intensity of frigid, icy coves-are all things that remind us of the character and creativity of our Creator.

What a sad, missed opportunity to spread the gospel if the world looks at Christians who dismiss caring for our world as simply not wanting to be associated with a political ideology. Biblical stewardship does not mean accepting fiction as fact or cow-towing to emotional arguments meant to instill fear and manipulate. It simply means thinking twice about Who we serve and how that can pour out into as many areas of our lives as possible.

However, caring for the Earth was not invented by mankind or any political ideology. It was invented by God in the book of Genesis and is therefore just another outpouring of the walk we are commanded to take.

Biblical environmental stewardship is about reclaiming passion for the commandment that we are the original caretakers of the Earth God made for us to live on and care for.

When we steward creation well, we are loving and respecting God's creation, our fellow man, and taking seriously another layer of our faith. While this stewardship is not a black and white list of things to do or not do, it is a responsibility to ponder with great joy and creativity, while inarguably prioritizing the good news of Christ and care for those made in God's image. Under no circumstances should anything in creation-land, animal, or otherwise-be prioritized above human beings.

Truly, we are showing gentleness and love when we, as much as is dependent on us, are doing our best to honor the gift of the Earth we've been given by treading lightly, consuming less, using creativity, living naturally and simply, being content, and learning practical skills. In this way, we honor our bodies as the temple of the Spirit, guide our eyes to look toward our true home, and live with thankfulness to God as we cherish the world we've been given.

In understanding this great opportunity to walk out another layer of our faith, stewardship might look different from one person to the next. What's important is we ponder it and act on it in the ways we are able while being gracious with ourselves and others. Just like everything else, we must be sure to lay this responsibility at the foot of the cross as we move forward to be faithful with what we can be faithful in. Pray about it and ask God to convict you in this area to make some changes if you feel so led.

Some ideas that may work for you and your family:

• Becoming self-reliant

• Learning to hunt and process all of your own meat

• Going plant-based

• Raising your own animals for fresh dairy

• Learning how to preserve food

• Learning how to reuse or repurpose household items

• Using creativity for entertainment and hobbies

• Enjoying productive hobbies

• Batch cooking

• Growing a garden- or simply some herbs!

• Using natural lotions, makeup, soaps

• Making your own cleaning products and detergents

• Going to farmers markets to support local

• Purchasing less prepackaged goods

• Borrowing tools or items instead of buying them

• Not using single use wares

There are so many ideas and possibilities, even beyond these few. I feel strongly that while this idea is an opportunity for obedience, it is to be acted on with joy motivated by love and respect for our Creator.

Blessings dear friends,

Rachel