Breathe

As a new Florida resident, it is refreshing to live among folks who possess a deep-seeded love for the environment. Generally speaking, it’s easier to care more deeply when affected more severely by our heating planet and increasing waste. Living beside the ocean forces us to confront what happens when water is treated as a landfill. Producing 70% of our oxygen, many refer to the sea as the lungs of the Earth. To put it bluntly, if our lungs die, so do we. It is predicted that by 2030, there will be more plastic in our ocean than fish.

While we can do our individual part to avoid using plastic, recycle, and reduce our carbon footprint, it can be discouraging to realize that only a global effort to minimize harm on the environment will suffice. We are relying on the goodwill of our fellow human, which is always difficult. We are trusting companies to sacrifice profit in order to prioritize what is best. Caring for God’s creation simply is not cost effective.

Since 1950, we have produced over 9.1 billion tons of plastic. 85 million pounds of plastic end up in our ocean annually. When we remove plastic from our coral reefs, it is as though we are removing toxins from our lungs. The massive negative impact we are having on our home makes me feel helpless. It begs the question…if I can’t solve the problem, then is it still worth my time and energy?

The answer to this question has major implications on our faith and our mission to strive to live like Christ. Jesus healed, but he didn’t heal everyone. Jesus fed 5000 people, but he didn’t feed everyone. As Christians, we love and care for our sisters and brothers, but there is still suffering. Through healthcare workers, we heal, but people still die. We feed people, but many still go hungry. The measure of our character depends not on what we do when the task is easy, but what we do when the task is difficult. Even when the mission seems impossible, we strive to build the world that God intended. In order to follow Christ, giving up on harm reduction is simply not an option. Ignoring the problem for convenience’s sake, throwing our hands up and claiming the problem is too big, is not what Jesus did. He healed, fed, and moved people, one individual at a time.

In truth, placing our hope and trust in humanity is not the answer. Rather, we place our hope and trust in God. We pray that God moves hearts. Through us, God will heal the wounds of the Earth. On Earth Day, we are encouraged to think about our own role within the mission to care for one another and the environment. We are called to do the most good as often as we can while we are here. For me, my lifegoal is to leave the world better than I found it. It is God that will wake us from our slumber. God will shake us out of our paralysis. Christ will lead us along the way. Love will be our guide.   

Martin Luther once said, “If I knew the world was ending tomorrow, I would plant a tree today.” This Sunday, Lamb of God will plant a tree and add a few bushes in our memorial garden. We will give the Earth at little more oxygen so that all creation can breathe. Loosening our suffocating grip on the Earth is accomplished one tree at a time. Literal trees are important, but metaphorical trees are also important. What trees are you planting every day? In other words, what are we doing today to ensure a more beautiful tomorrow?

A world without plastic, 

Pr. Lucas McSurley

Photo by Nikola Jovanovic