Going Green!

Going Green has been pushed to the forefront of important issues in our culture over the past few years?and I believe rightfully so.

But, my reason for being a Green proponent probably runs contrary to the mainstream. I believe we need to go Green and value the earth, nature and natural resources because all of that reflects the glory of God.

Hundreds, perhaps thousands of groups and organizations have many reasons for promoting living Green; better air quality, the diminishing supply of fossil fuels, clean water and a sustainable future. There's nothing wrong with most of those things, in fact they're admirable pursuits.

However, I believe there is potentially GREAT DANGER in our quest for going Green.

The Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 1:20 "For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities?his eternal power and divine nature?have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse."

Would any of us deny that the Grand Canyon, Niagara Falls, the California Red Wood Forest, Cathedral Rock, Valley of Fire, Glacier National Park, the Everglades and even Ruby Falls in Tennessee reflect a Creator?

In the first moments when our eyes catch sight of these places, doesn't our own significance and importance disappear when the breath is sucked out of us?at least for a few seconds--and we are overwhelmed with the thought that what we're looking at is bigger than we are and it was put here by Something greater than we are.

Thirty years ago I thought nothing of tossing a Big Mac container out the window of my car when I was driving. I thought nothing of taking the oil from my car that I'd just changed and pouring it along the fence line in my back yard to keep weeds at bay.

But, last night my wife and I went through the drive thru at Taco Bell; I took the wrapper off my straw for the cup of water I was drinking, rolled it into a ball, and even though my window was down I couldn't throw the paper out the window. I do that because I know that our world still bears the image of the One who created it, and I don't want to diminish creation nor dishonor the Creator.

The potential great danger in our quest for going Green is that we do it for us, rather than for God. Many pursue Green living because they value nature more than the One who created nature, as such they worship nature and not God.

There's a greater danger yet though. With an extreme promotion of going and living Green many proponents believe that if enough pressure is applied to society, then the individuals in society will conform to going and living Green. Then, those same principles are applied in other areas of society, as in Health Care Reform. Apply the same pressure to Health Care Reform and society will conform to the idea that everybody deserves adequate health care.

In applying pressure to society for Health Care Reform we demonstrate that we're a better, more progressive people; people who are caring and care. In doing so we mandate that people be coerced into caring for people, rather than caring for people because Jesus cared for people and taught his disciples that they should care for people too. Again, we make it all about us, rather than all about God, and the fact that he created grace and mercy, love and compassion for people.

If we extrapolate all this out what we discover is that many people believe that you can change the human heart through coercion or legislation or government mandate; and, that people will really care for the earth (nature) and people (thru available health care).

But, Jesus proved that it was the human heart that was evil and selfish that needed to be changed if we're going to truly care for the things that are important to God?like his creation?both people and the planet.