Earth Day, Every Day (by Judy)

Earth Day 2010. I have been involved with some wonderful planning at the school where I work. Today 500 children are assisting in the planting of beautiful flowering pear trees and stalwart pines . Earlier in the week a team of art majors from Akron U came and helped the kids silk-screen student-designed logos on recycled t-shirts they brought in. Middle schoolers are heading out to clean up a winter’s debris from the Cuyahoga River banks and National Park trails. Every child has written a poem about nature on a green, leaflike file card which has been affixed to “poet-trees” hanging around the school.

Then this morning I woke up to my favorite Christian radio station where a commentator was troubled about Americans who have made worship of the earth their alternative religion and Earth Day their holiday observance. My heart sank. After all, God has entrusted us with this planet fashioned by His hands: “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth’” (Genesis 1:26).

I guess as always it is a matter of perspective and balance. When I see the beauty of a sunset, the wonder of a galaxy, the intricacy of a spider web, and sweetness of a newborn’s face, I do pause in worship. I worship the Creator who displays all of nature for our pleasure, and who put the capacity to appreciate His masterful works in each of our hearts. In tandem with those gifts from a Lord worthy of worship, I believe that He has presented us with an important task of stewardship which we must handle responsibly. It is way beyond politics or personal preference. It is a holy command. Finally, I believe that God’s awesome presence in the natural world is one of the most compelling arguments for His existence!

We Christians are eyewitnesses, and we are caretakers. I read this line in an article this morning: “God underwrites and sponsors Earth Day, every day, and signs his work.” If I were fortunate enough to have a painting of a beautiful Provencal landscape signed by Claude Monet, I would do several things. I would protect it, I would enjoy it, and I would share it with others. How can my response to God’s masterpiece be any less?