Giving Daily Care to God's Creation

(from the Women's Group of the ELCA)

Background

The personal effort the woman put into searching for her one lost coin should serve as an example for the personal efforts each person may employ in care for God's creation. There is always the temptation, when faced with the magnitude of environmental problems, to throw up one's hands in frustration and mutter, 'What can one person do?" This session focuses on how much one person can do. If this reflection evokes some healthy controversy, do not avoid it. Allow for various points of view in a group or within yourself. Pray for God's Spirit to help you know what you are to learn. It may be a different learning for each person.

Reading
The Parable of the Lost Coin
Luke 15:8–9

Reflection
The woman in Jesus' parable was concerned about just a small portion of her environment. She lost 10 percent of her money; 90 percent was safe and secure. Yet she would not rest until she recovered that one coin and, in the process, she thoroughly cleaned her entire house.

If we misplaced 10 percent of our personal resources, we would probably react the same way. When it comes to recovering lost natural resources, however, we may be less determined in our efforts. We may have a hard time seeing the loss of a species of insect in South America as a personal loss.

Hardly a week goes by without news of another source of water pollution or toxic waste leakage discovered. The closer it is to home, the more concerned we become. The truth is, however, that the way in which we, individually, care for God's creation affects not only our local community, but the whole planet as well.

Yet environmental discussions and decisions become incredibly difficult when equally legitimate, but conflicting, concerns vie for the use of resources: saving jobs in the timber industry versus protecting the habitat of the spotted owl; using non-renewable energy sources versus building nuclear power plants.

The woman in the parable had a distinct advantage in that she could pursue her goal with a single-minded dedication to the task at hand. She looked for her coin in her house. Our "house" is much bigger, and there's a lot more at stake.

Discussion

1. Consider these 10 natural resources: air, lakes, soil, trees, birds, animals, fish, insects, sunlight, and rain. Which one (10 percent) could you afford to lose? What difference would it make?

2. What efforts can you make to "clean house" in your community in order to recover a nearly-lost resource? What steps are you taking to make care of God's creation a way of life?

3. When two legitimate uses of a resource are in conflict, what principles and guidelines may you use to address and solve the problem?

Prayer
God of earth and altar, we live together on earth as members of one family residing in one home. Forgive our complacency about the environment you have given us to tend, and give us, we pray, both wisdom and compassion as we care for your creation. Amen

Written by Susan K. Wendorf for Women of the ELCA. Copyright © 1995 Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. All rights reserved.
May be reproduced for use by Women of the ELCA in congregations provided each copy carries the copyright notice above. For all other purposes, contact us.

GUIDED BY THE GOSPEL: GATHERING • GROWING • GIVING