"Natural systems may have been transformed by human presence and agency, but that does not mean that humans could (or ever can) control these systems. Rather, we are included within them; our life depends entirely upon their continued integrity. If we are wise, then, our life depends entirely upon their continued integrity. If we are wise, then, we will recognize that the land rightly 'expects something from us.'"
This particular section of the readings we did for class really stuck out to me. Coming from taking two semesters of biology, I know all about this process, at least in scientific terms. In condensed form, plants require carbon dioxide to live and we humans require oxygen to live. How do we get these? As we humans breathe in oxygen, we breathe out carbon dioxide. And as plants take in carbon dioxide, they release oxygen. As you can see, we require plants to live, and plants need us to live. It's a mutual relationship between plants and humans.
Throughout the Bible, God seems to reward His people with good harvest. A lot of the relief He brings is from drought, and condition of soil. The text states, "That destiny is fulfilled, but only after the flood has washed away the human-initiated 'ruination' of the earth, when God has restored the steady cycle of 'seedtime and harvest' and through Noah initiated the covenant 'with all flesh on the earth'." God knows that we live off the harvest and the earth, especially in biblical times. Ending a drought or providing a good harvest could possibly be the greatest reward of all.
To connect this to the major questions that have been asked in class so far this year, we ask how do we Christians take on the responsibility of taking care of God's creation? How much responsibility do we take on, if any?
Well personally, I think that we should take care of the earth, simply because without it, we would not survive. In Genesis 2:7, its says "Then the Lord formed a man from the dust of the ground..." We were formed from the earth. Therefore, I believe that it is our responsibility to upkeep the earth to the best of our abilities. It is God's creation, as are we, and we should do our best to help it survive, so that we as well may survive.
Great post, Tess! I love that you related that verse in Genesis to our text. God literally formed us out of the earth. We are a part of it! And like you said, we need the earth to survive. Without plants, we wouldn't have enough oxygen to breathe. In God's creation, He made it critical that we not only coexist, but take care of creation. It was like He intended for us to be concerned with our ecosystems and being gentle with the planet from the very start.
ReplyDeleteIt seems so simple a fact that our continued human survival depends on the survival of nature, but many simply ignore that fact because they cannot see the bigger picture, and it doesn't effect them in the short-term. Our duty is to care for the earth even when we cannot see the long-term benefits in store for everyone.
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