Sunday Veritas: Earth Day

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This past week my cell phone provider reminded me of Earth Day by encouraging me to “Think Green. Be Green.” In honor of Earth day, they had paper-saving recommendation and tips for recycling my old cell phone in their newsletter. 

The Earth Day movement began when air pollution was commonly accepted as smell of prosperity and massive aggression to the environment was justified by the prospect of progress. Quality of air, pure water, clean energy and recycling awareness are rooted in the Earth Day concerns.

Despite of different view of the Earth Day, concern for the earth is in the center of it. Biblical concern for the earth begins in the first verse of the first book of the Bible: “In the beginning God created heaven and earth”. Because this body called earth was formless and shapeless God had to shape it given form and content in order to create an environment suitable to human life.

The Biblical environmental view is centered in the creation of man in God’s image and likeness and man’s steward mandate to care for the earth. The stewardship mandate encompasses everything on land, underground, at sea and on the air (Genesis 1:26). God gave the stewardship mandate to man because He owns it. 

The Psalmist says that: “The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it, the world and all who live in it: for he found it on the seas and established in on the waters.” (Psalm 24:1-2).

And again the Psalmist says: “When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?” The earth is a work of God’s finger, a product of his imagination and creativity.

Environmental concerns, pollution reduction, protection of endangered species and clean water are part of the steward mandate to care for God’s creation. Have a great Earth Day!


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