Jesus Probably Rides a Bike
- The Shack, William P. Young, p.109
In all of my eco-friendly efforts so as to be a solid steward of the environment I never once stopped to think what Jesus would think of what we have done to our own precious planet. How would he feel knowing that we were knowingly destroying 1.5 acres of rainforest per second? Would he choose paper or plastic or choose to only buy what he could carry in his arms? What kind of car would he drive so as to save on emissions or would he continue to walk everywhere? Would he drink from the water sources we have spilled oil in and thrown our waste into? As I read The Shack I was amazed at how the idea of God, in the flesh of Jesus, could be so awestruck by his own creation and quickly realized that my intentions this whole time had just been wrong. We are to look in awe of our little blue-green ball in the sky and treat it with kid gloves. I was just thinking about my own health and perhaps that of my family. My concern stretched a little less than the house across the street.
God could have been no more clear about this than He was in the Old Testament. Leviticus 25:4 lays out His desire for us to maintain a land sabbath and leave the land uncultivated every seventh year. Every 50th year we are told to give our property back to its original owner, return to our original families dwelling place and discontinue sewing or reaping anything. God’s desire for us and our role on this earth is a cyclical one. We are products of our environment and it is a product of our behavior. God intends for us to recognize the gift of Creation and hold fast to it by living an intentional and responsible lifestyle.
The idea is not necessarily plastic bags or reusable hemp sacks. It is not gasoline vs. electric. The idea is are we in constant praise of a God that could create such an amazing landscape and allow us to dwell on it? And if so, what are we each doing to maintain it thereby praising Him?
