Stewardship

stew·ard·ship - The conducting, supervising, or managing of something ; especially : the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one's care.

from the Merriam-Webster dictionary

This month, we celebrate Earth Day (April 22nd). It is a recognition of our duty to care for our planet and environment. As inhabitants of this world, we are called to be good stewards of the earth. This means that we should not allow materialism, monetary gain, greed, selfishness or laziness to dictate how we live and what we leave behind. Unfortunately, the Western (American) culture has placed too great an emphasis on our own personal comfort and prosperity and ignored the long-term effects of our hedonism on the planet. We have created a disposable society of convenience with little regard for the consequences of such a lifestyle. Now, when it may be too late to turn back, we are FINALLY recognizing the need to "go green." However, this movement will most likely not be put into extensive practice until we have exhausted all of our natural resources; until the big oil and coal companies have made every penny they can squeeze out of us.

I implore us as a nation and as a planet, to institute mandates for an immediate transition to clean, renewable energy sources and recycling. Each person must do his or her part. One person at a time, we can transform our world. Change to LED and CFL (compact fluorescent lighting throughout your home. Turn lights and appliances OFF when not in use. Support the development of electric cars, lawnmowers and other earth-friendly, efficient vehicles. Install solar panels, windmills, turbines and geothermal heating/cooling systems in your homes. Our consumer and dollar-driven society does not promote self-sufficient eco-friendly products because they lose money when we are not continually dependant on them. We cannot let that hinder us. The time to act is now. It is the only moment we have.

Let's stop filling our landfills with unnecessary waste. Let's stop releasing pollutants into the air, water and ground. Let's stop allowing big business to use its monetary influence to break the law, toxify the planet and get away with murder. Our planet is dying. Forests are being eradicated. Polar ice caps are melting as a result of global warming. Inferior air quality is causing asthma at unprecedented rates. Holes in the ozone layer and causing increased incidence of skin cancer. Our bodies are becoming host for a variety of toxins from the food and water we consume. America is touted as having one of the most advanced healthcare systems in the world, yet that has not averted the fact that America is one of the unhealthiest countries in the world.

Not only are we called to care for our planet, but to care for one another and ourselves. Caring for others means that those who are blessed with more give to those who have less. We must fight wars not for monetary gain or control of power, but in order to stop injustice; to thwart human suffering; to free the oppressed and the heal the broken. Boycott stores and companies which utilize child labor or sweat shops. Refuse to purchase items made in China (it's not easy!) or other countries which have inhumane business practices. Shop at stores that support fair trade. Sponsor a child. Donate to a charity.

Caring for ourselves means that we dutifully eat healthfully. We must treat our bodies with respect. Consider a raw, organic diet. Shun the processed sugars, flours and "convenience" foods. Relish the divine experience of retraining your body by changing your diet to living, vibrant, healthy foods. Support organic farmers. Eat less (or no) meat. Not only do we need to eat in a more life-giving and plant-sustaining way, but regular exercise is also a gift to our bodies. We must not be gluttonous or lazy. We need to walk more. Bicycle to work. Run. Use a manual lawn mower or food processor. Rely on your muscles rather than unnecessarily utilizing more electricity. Increasing our strength and conditioning our muscles makes us more energetic, more positive, less prone to injury, illness and disease and also prolongs our life.

I believe that we should always leave a place better than how we found it. This should not only apply to hotel rooms, restaurants, friends' homes or offices, but to our entire universe. This includes our bodies and our environment. I know that it is my goal to be a good steward of all the many blessings that I have been given and it is also my goal to leave this world better than how I found it. Make it your goal too. Together, we can change the world.

When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what are mere mortals that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? You have made them a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned them with glory and honor. You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet: all flocks and herds, and the animals of the wild, the birds in the sky, and the fish in the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas.

Psalms 8:3-8