Jesus said to his disciples, “There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his possessions.”
Luke 16:1
God is not just a powerful figure in the world, He is an intelligent designer who brought the world into existence with all of its interconnected processes, animate and inanimate which means that even the smallest pebble is the work of His design. In Genesis 1, God commands man to exercise dominion over the earth and to subdue it. (Genesis1:26,28, Col 1:15-1, John1:3).
We are given the privilege to enjoy the resources but the ownership is vested in him. In Leviticus 25:23-24, God forbids selling of the land permanently because it belongs to Him and we are only stewards of the environment. Isaiah and Jeremiah prophesy about the dire consequences that occur when man disobeys God and fails to take care of the earth. (Isaiah 24:4-6, Jer2:7). What we understand from the key scripture Luke 16:1 is that the rich man is displeased with the manager for wasting his possessions. With this verse in mind, let us examine whether we used the treasures of the earth wisely.
The term natural resource means resources that exist without the help of humans.
The first figure shows the various kinds of natural resources and the second shows a cycle of extraction to waste. A recent study reveals that 62 million tonnes of resources such as minerals, wood, metals, fossil and bio-mass fuel are extracted from the earth and ⅕ of the world’s natural resources that are extracted end up as waste, on average 10 tonnes for every individual. The figures are staggering. Resources use and waste generation have distinct environmental impacts. Industry, technology and consumers have a major role to play by making more informed choices.
John’s Gospel 6:1-15 (Miracle of feeding thousands) reveals Jesus’ attentiveness to human needs as well as his judicious use, equitable distribution and conservation of resources. These principles constitute models for the contemporary world in its management and use of available resources. The proper use and management of its resources guarantee the sustainability of the resources. However, with the increasing rate of depletion due to over-exploitation, over-consumption, environmental pollution and entrenched culture of waste, the need to sustainably use and manage these resources has become expedient. Throughout the Bible, we see God’s intervention in human history, we are caretakers of God’s provision for mankind and mismanagement brings down judgement. Billy Graham once noted that “of all people, Christians should be the most concerned for the environment” explaining that God created the world and entrusted humanity to protect it. We are accountable to God for the way we handle the resources which He has given to satisfy our needs and not greed. With this in mind let us exercise our paramount duty to make people realise the importance of not wasting our natural resources.
Let us bow our heads and seek forgiveness for how we treated the earth and it’s fullness by approaching the heavenly throne and also invoke his blessings. Amen.
Sol. Nirmala Lazar