Have dominion

 

Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” - Genesis 1:26-28

 

One of the things that frustrates me about some parts of the contemporary church is the tendency to turn against anything the world takes interest so that we are not tainted by association with it.

 

One of those things is the concept of environmentalism. Starting about 100 years ago folks began to realise that we can’t keep abusing this world. Non-christians led the way and that we resulted in a lot of them worshipping the creation instead of worshipping God.

 

In reality, we should have been first. God clearly gave us this world and clearly intended for His people to care for it. Environmentalism may have some things messed up and some may use it for their own agendas at least it is away that we can’t keep abusing this old world.

 

I once heard a Christian say that he was going to celebrate Earth Day by burning a bunch of tyres. That kind of attitude is part of what destroys our testimony. I don’t have to be a ‘tree hugger,’ but I do need to realise my responsibility to do my part to care for this marvellous creation and limit the damage that I do to it.