Deer In The Headlights

At least a couple of times each week, I will look at a page on the Internet that has a listing of “environmental news” headlines. I do this because I am supposed to be up to date on all the latest happenings, trends and wisdom in this area.

Most of the time, there is not much in this collection of headlines that could be construed as “good news”. Rather, all I seem to see is a collection of pretty depressing headlines about the continued declining state of our environment and the struggle that people are having trying to change the outlook and habits of others.

I read items like the article detailing the danger of long-trapped methane gas seeping into the environment from defrosting permafrost (which itself is being caused by climate change) and end up feeling totally overwhelmed. Frankly, I feel kind of like a deer trapped in the headlights in the middle of the road unable to make that decision – do I run or do I do nothing.

Like many others, what I read and hear in the news sometimes gives me an overwhelming feeling of complete helplessness brought on by the conclusion that there is nothing that I, myself, can do when it comes to dealing with problems that are on such a large scale. I mean come on – Fred vs global warming? Who, really, do you think is going to win that battle?

On the other hand, like the deer in the headlights, I instinctively know that I can’t just stand still, doing nothing, ignoring the imminent danger and acting like nothing is happening. Deep inside me, I know that doing nothing is not His intention.

Pondering this for a while led me to the following: There is no way that I and I alone am going to have much effect on solving any environmental problem.  I can’t do it. I don’t have the knowledge, resources or power at my disposal. And on top of that, I don’t know enough people in this world to convince that all of us together could solve this problem.

For those of you who are still with me here, know that there is hope. A bit more pondering led me to another conclusion that personally solving the environmental crisis may not be what it is all about.

Instead, what if it’s not about solving but it’s all about changing? By that I mean that maybe the first and best thing that I can do is to take responsibility for me – to change what I do and how I live and what my footprint is on God’s creation.  What if caring for creation is, first and foremost, an individual endeavor that is part of my relationship with God and changing the way I see His world?

If this is the case, then every day, I should look at how to make this relationship between me, God and His creation better. Along with loving the Lord (with all my heart, soul and mind) and loving my neighbor as myself, each day I would try to do something to love and steward God’s creation.

Now this, I can handle. With this view I can see that today, it’s not about solving climate change or stopping mountain top removal (both of which are critically important issues) myself. Today, it’s about things in my life that I can change – things like how I can drive a bit less or recycle a bit more or even fix something that I may have thought about throwing out. Today, I can ask myself if I really need a new cell phone or is the one I have good enough. Today, I can refuse a paper or plastic bag at the grocery store because I know that I am going to put it into the trash as soon as I get home.

Now granted, each of these things by themselves is not going to have a huge effect on the condition of our environment but, little by little they add up… and they add up in ways that you might not expect.  Perhaps what I do and how I am living might cause someone else to ask themselves the same question – how can I, as an individual — serve God by being a good steward of his creation? Maybe picking up a piece of litter from the street or caring about the condition of my neighborhood makes someone else think about how to treat the world they live in.

In the Bible, God never asks us to go through this world alone. What I see over and over in His word are individuals gathering together into a community for the purpose of doing things for the common good. We, as individuals will not solve world hunger or poverty or homelessness (or for that matter the condition of His creation). Instead, we are called first, to act as individuals and get our own lives and priorities in order and then gather into a community of God so that we can all act toward the common good of serving Him.

So I guess that I’m ready to make a change. From now on, instead of dragging my chin after reading the environmental headlines, I am going to let the headlines I read spur me on to doing my part in taking care of how I treat God’s creation. Then, on that day when I am judged (like we all will be), from my shaking voice I hopefully can communicate to God that ‘Yes… I personally did fail at solving climate change but each day I did what I could to make your creation a bit better. Everyday, I tried with all my heart to treat your creation with love, kindness and respect.’

Amen

Blessings to you and your family!

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