Greta Thunberg, the 16-year-old Swedish teen turned climate activist, sparked a worldwide campaign to urge domestic lawmakers and world leaders to enact tougher policies to protect the planet. Thunberg’s impassioned speech at the United Nations Climate Action Summit in New York was backed up by her own lifestyle of reducing waste and emissions. Instead of flying to New York City, she sailed a yacht across the Atlantic to reduce her carbon footprint. Her own personal campaign of striking school on Fridays to sit outside the Swedish parliament to protest their climate policies sparked a worldwide campaign among youth to strike schools on Fridays in their own countries to protest and march for action against climate change.

God created caretakers

Regardless of how one feels about climate change and global warming, Christians and our Jewish ancestors have always been called to take care of the earth since the garden of Eden. God told Moses to take off his sandals, because the ground he stood on was holy. God reminded Job that Job had no business questioning God, because God knew every detail and secret of the earth and all that lives on it. Jesus taught not to worry about clothes or food, because of how well God provides even for the lilies in the field. God created the earth and created us as caretakers.

Good stewards

We cannot deny that we are connected to the earth and that we need its resources. But in order to survive, we must work together to replenish, preserve and protect those resources. This stewardship ensures that the earth and its resources will not be depleted but will continue to be available for generations to come. For Christians, the goal is not to argue about global warming or climate change. The goal is to promote stewardship as part of our faith and to make small changes to live out that stewardship daily.

Question of the day: What are you doing to help take care of the earth?
Focal scriptures: Genesis 2:15-25; Luke 14:28-33; Psalm 24:1-10 

For a complete lesson on this topic visit LinC.