The Earth surface is getting warmer, so scientists say. The Ozone layer is thinning substantially-- it has been since the beginning of the Industrial Era when people discovered the use of fossil fuel to speed up everything, apparently! Now, my generation as well as the future ones are reaping the consequences. Despite our efforts to make ourselves and everything we use environment-friendly there seems to be little change.
This afternoon, upon returning from a speaking engagement, I dropped by the mall to get a light bulb for my study desk lamp at home. I went straight to the "Lights" section and found a bunch of cheap incandescent bulbs -- 13.00 Pesos each (a little more than 25 cents [US]), as I picked up one, a sales clerk approached me and said, "Sir, if you want to be more earth-friendly, buy one of these (pointing to a stack of Compact Flourescent Lamps at 135.00 Pesos each, just a little less than US$3)."
I want to be earth-friendly in my own way so I said, "Sure, I want to be earth-friendly. Please give me one of those." But I honestly couldn't help but state, "Miss, not to be rude, but if this store wants people to be earth-friendly then you should stop selling stuff that aren't." Good thing the Lord has allowed me to be able to afford a $3 light bulb for my desk lamp. But how about those who can't, which by the way outnumber my kind who can? They're stuck with using cheaper light bulbs which aren't energy-saving nor earth-friendly. I know a good number of folks who would not buy a 135.00-peso light bulb if they had a choice to bet something 90% cheaper!
Tonight, I joined the EARTH HOUR-- turned off all lights in my apartment- which reminded me of the Earth Day Energy Fast back in high school and college. Earth Day Energy Fast was folded in 2007 since the campaign's founder claimed it was "too late" for such a campaign to have meaningful impact.
Earth Hour is branded as tokenism in that it really wouldn't help the Earth any more that a using a worn out rubber shoes once a week so it won't wear out faster! But I see it as more than that. It is to create greater awareness that could lead humanity to "save" the earth by using other nature to generate electrity.
But what can we do, really? For Bible-believing Christians, we tend to be less concerned about the earth since the earth is going to be eventually destroyed by fire in the end anyway. Revelation 20:9 says, "...and the first earth had passed away." In another passage,(2 Peter 3:10) reads, "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up." But let's face it, beginning at the fall the earth began to rot. But it does not change the fact that we are still stewards of the earth.
In Genesis, God made Adam, together with his wife, a steward of the Garden. We find in Scripture that he did, even after the fall. I find this a simple, beautiful, and powerful image. Trusting ourselves, or trusting God. Pretty basic, I know. But then, as I often say, we often lose track of the basics, even those of us who have hung around on this earth longer. And yet, where else in our culture, where else in our daily and mundane affairs would this sort of wisdom be routinely accessed and affirmed? Do you hear that at work? On the street? In the media? At school? At Church?
The earth will pass away, but our role is NOT to hasten its passing but to be stewards of it as long as the Lord tarries His return!
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