How to Respond?

“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.” Psalm 24: 1 NRSV

As we share the experience of watching the gulf coast become increasingly debilitated by the effects of the offshore oil spill, now ongoing more than a month, we observe both the the consequences and the limitations of human efforts. I personally would hope that all those involved in the efforts to exploit oil resources almost a mile beneath the sea would not being doing so without due concern for an event such as the one presently experienced. Accidents happen. Mistakes occur. And when they do, we reap the consequences. All of us share those consequences. That’s the part where we need to stop and think about what it means to love our neighbor as ourselves. Do we care about our acts of omission? Are we thinking of our abilities to act responsibly each day? Do we recognize the connections between our own demands and desires and the outcomes upon others?

From another perspective, do we care what is happening to our neighbors in the gulf? Or do we only care when the oil starts to enter currents that deposit oil on beaches where we like to play? Does our concern only go so far as our self-interest and sense of our own pain or suffering or inconvenience or damage?

Human beings are frequently imperfect in judgment. Humility is the right response most of the time as we examine our motives and exercise our influence across the world that God has entrusted to us. It is a holy obligation that we share. It is a precious gift to be careful with. It is not unreasonable that we begin consciously and willfully as Christians to be the light and the salt for helping others in our world come to terms with realities.
Our job is to speak the truth. Our responsibility is to practice wise stewardship over the creation we use every day. Our opportunity is to use the gifts and abilities and understanding that God allows us to have to make positive and good choices and to help one another when we make mistakes to overcome them, to avoid repeating them, and to always learn from them. History stands as the testament of countless poor choices which bear our not repeating. Similarly, each generation is called to teach the next. Jesus commended us to teach all the nations the things he taught. He taught us to love one another. He taught us to do good to even those that we understand to be our enemies. He taught us to forgive. He taught us to heal, comfort, and show mercy.

In the midst of recent experiences, it stands to reason that Christians have an opportunity to step forward with diligence, wisdom, and love, born from above…these are our grace gifts to share for such times as now.

If you can plug an oil leak…offer your services. If you can employ a fisherman who has lost his livelihood, plan to do it. If you can build a business to reduce the occurrence of ever more costly mistakes to the health of our planet, build it. If you can offer a word of hope in the midst of tragedy, offer it. If you can show the love of Christ to someone near you, show it. If you can teach, teach. If you can preach, preach. If you can pray, pray. If you can do the work that needs doing, do it.

The earth is the Lords…and those who live in it. Make sure you and those near you know who is both the giver and sustainer of life. He holds us accountable….to use everything entrusted to us…to give Him glory.