Christ's return is the only permanent answer to this world's problems. But are there things we can be doing in the meantime to be wise stewards and compassionate neighbors on planet earth?
We're living in a unique time in human history. Overpopulation, pollution and environmental degradation have primed the world for suffering on an unimaginable scale. Is there anything we can or should be doing about it? Does it even matter what we do? Jesus warned us that the decades before His return would be times of great suffering.
"And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes, in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows'" (Matthew 24:6-8).
We frankly don't know when Christ's return will happen (Matthew 24:36). Only the returning King of Kings can ultimately solve the colossal problems humanity has created. We didn't choose to live near the end of the age—we didn't make the world the way it is—but we do have to live in it. How should we respond to the challenges that lie between now and Christ's return?
Right and wrong are eternal principles. Being true to our Christian values is right whether or not we reap immediate benefits. The generations that have grown up under the shadow of the atomic bomb have developed a fatalistic, "Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we may die" way of life. This attitude rubs off on all of us, but followers of Jesus Christ must fight it.
The burden of so many people consuming so much of the earth's natural resources and creating so much pollution is pushing the natural world to the brink. Forests are vanishing, deserts expanding, toxic pollution is contaminating the food chain, fisheries are collapsing, food prices are soaring and air pollution is sending asthma rates skyrocketing.
"Love Does No Harm"
Paul wrote, "Love does no harm to a neighbor" (Romans 13:10). If I am doing harm to people by my ordinary, daily activities, then I am not practicing love, and God will judge me for it. Jesus counsels us to be as wise as serpents and as harmless as doves (Matthew 10:16). I felt compelled to find out more about the causes of the pollution that is damaging our planet. I became convicted that I had to get serious about doing my part. Living in a way that demonstrates our love for God and our fellow human beings is essential to who we are as Christians.
Remember how Christ identified those who would be in His Kingdom:
"Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was in prison and you came to Me'" (Matthew 25:34-36).
Jesus counts the kindness we do to others as done to Him, and this sort of kindness is something that all His followers do (see verses 37 to 46). It is fundamental to who we are. To be a Christian is to love God and to love our neighbor (Matthew 22:37-40).
In the Genesis creation account, we see God giving the man and woman the authority and responsibility to use and maintain planet earth (Genesis 1:28; 2:15). Because we love God, we respect and appreciate His creation.
And we also know that God's indignation burns against those who despoil the earth, since God has said He will destroy those who destroy the earth (Revelation 11:18). Caring for the natural world is a way of loving God, and it is a way in which we must also love our neighbor.
According to Worldwatch Institute's Vital Signs 2007-2008 report, humanity is collectively exploiting the resources of the planet at a rate 25 percent beyond what the ecosystem can sustain. It's like a factory manager extracting huge profits from his business by not maintaining the equipment and failing to pay his suppliers. Times may seem good for a little while, but the bills will come due and the system will break down.
When God lent humanity the earth, He told the man and the woman to dress and keep the earth. We're authorized to develop the earth, but we're required to maintain it. We have to care for the soil in which we grow our crops, and we have to maintain the forests and watersheds that provide us with clean air and clean water. The alternative is that famine and disease will stalk the earth and hundreds of millions of the poorest of humanity will perish.
We do not have the right to simply use up the earth and shortchange our children. Proverbs 13:22 says, "A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children."
We reap what we sow. God allows us to suffer the consequences of our choices (Galatians 6:7). We have a choice in the matter: we can act selfishly, further harm the environment and cause more suffering; or we can act compassionately and alleviate suffering. It's easy to give in to human nature and close our hearts to the needs of others, and it's hard to give up what we feel is our right in order to make life better for others.
"And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap, if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith" (Galatians 6:9-10).
God's compassion extends to everyone. He is not in a hurry to deal out death and destruction. He says, "I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked" (Ezekiel 33:11). When people change their ways, He extends mercy to them.
What We Can Do
There is quite a lot we can do as individuals. As I studied the state of the world and the problems humanity faces, I was struck by these two key facts:
• Our habits are enormously wasteful.
• The knowledge of how to dramatically improve our use of the planet's resources is already available.
There are huge opportunities for making our homes, businesses and cars more efficient.
By insulating my home, switching from electric to gas heat, switching to more efficient lighting and more efficient appliances, I was able to cut my use of electricity by about half. As a single man I was able to replace my gas-guzzling SUV with a small hybrid, thus cutting my use of gasoline by about half.
Cutting back on the use of gasoline, oil and natural gas not only saves money and helps clean up the air, but it also takes some of the upward pressure off the prices of these commodities. That, in turn, could help the poor to be able to afford fuel for agriculture, business and transportation.
The 20th-century green revolution was made possible by fossil fuels—in the form of fertilizers, pesticides and fuel for farm equipment and transportation. The recent sharp rise in food prices has been caused by the sharp rise in the cost of fuel, loss of soil productivity and the spate of droughts and floods. (Of course, the short-sighted decision to promote turning corn into ethanol has also contributed. Other types of vegetation seem to have greater potential in producing biofuels.)
By polluting less and using less fuel, we can contribute to the solution and hopefully help increase the availability of fuel to the less fortunate.
Another contributing factor in the world food crisis is the diversion of land and food crops for animal feed. One way we can help is simply to buy less meat. That will free up water, land and feed for direct human uses. Many more people can be fed with plant products than with the meat that can be raised with those plant products. There is also good evidence that eating less meat than the average American eats is better for our health. Growing some of our own food can also help our health and the environment.
We can also reduce fuel consumption by cutting back on our purchases of goods that have to be transported long distances. Buying less stuff, buying second-hand items and giving away what we no longer need, can all help in reducing the pollution that is generated by businesses on our behalf. One helpful book in this area is The Consumer's Guide to Effective Environmental Choices (by Michael Brower and Warren Leon).
The good news is that we do actually have choices. We already possess the knowledge necessary to more than double the use we get out of the resources we take from the earth. Some experts claim that we can readily get 10 times the use. Living more simply—whether to clean up the environment or to free up resources for others—is a compassionate response. It is also a sober and godly response that shows respect for the sufferings of others.
Paul urged the Philippians to show a deep concern for the welfare of others:
"Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others" (Philippians 2:3-4).
The Christian duty to act compassionately is clear. "You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Matthew 22:39). To love God and love our neighbor is the heart and core of Christianity. And this is no mere platitude. Love must be proven in action (James 2:14-17).
The scientific community has served notice that continuing business as usual—overexploitation of the planet's resources and imposing an ever-increasing burden of toxic pollution—means that countless millions will suffer and die.
"A prudent man foresees evil, and hides himself, but the simple pass on, and are punished" (Proverbs 22:3). It is only prudent to take action. Living simply is a way to provide relief to others in need, and caring is basic to who we are as Christians.
"But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth" (1 John 3:17-18).
There will be great suffering in this world until Christ's return. It's time to love our neighbor in deed and in truth. UN
