Take care of the earth

When we first moved to Canada, some new friends offered us a getaway at their lakeside cabin, situated in the beautiful town of Invermere. At that point, we had not travelled to the hidden gem in the corner of the province.

When we heard about the cabin, we pictured a small classic log cabin, wooden bunk beds, and an antique cast iron stove sitting proudly in the middle of the wooded pine floor, and we were thankful for the little adventure with four kids.

To our surprise and delight, this was no rustic log cabin but a beautiful lakeshore property. We enjoyed it and naturally took excellent care of it; we had been entrusted with a beautiful gift.

One of the most powerful pictures in the bible is that we are entrusted with gifts, talents, and resources from God. This concept goes back to Genesis, where the writer tells us about the first human family. He entrusted Adam and Eve with complete care of his creation and appointed them as viceroys of his property.

The Bible says, God blessed them and said, “Have many children, so that your descendants will live all over the earth and bring it under their control. I am putting you in charge (Gen 1:28).” The first point on the heavenly job description for humans was to take care of the earth, which has not been revoked. God never said you could stop caring for this beautiful blue planet and all I gave you.

When I look around my life, I realize this has been given to me, and if everything I have is from God, why treat it as though it were not a gift? The modern world seems to think that if I do not own it, I will not take care of it. As people of faith, our attitude should be the opposite.

The Bible repeatedly speaks of being good stewards, the literal meaning being managers, whether money, time, talents or looking after the earth. We are responsible. We live by a higher calling and standard because God owns it all. I will do my very utmost to take care of it.

The second point on the heavenly job description is that Jesus taught about talents, about not squandering or hiding them but taking what you have been entrusted with and using those gifts, opportunities and skills to bless our world. Let's aim to live by our divine job description and appreciate each other's contribution; we all have something we are responsible for. 1 Corinthians 12:6-7 encourages us, “Each person is given something to do that shows who God is: Everyone gets in on it, everyone benefits.

All kinds of things are handed out by the Spirit and to all kinds of people! The variety is wonderful.”