Genesis 2:15-17
“And the Lord God commanded the man, ‘You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die.’” vss. 16-17
We like to wonder what the writer of Genesis had in mind when he included the tree of knowledge of good and evil in his creation story…and there’s probably no really satisfying answer. It is clear though that from ancient times humans have known that there are limits to freedom that have built into the fabric of creation. We have been created for a purpose, to care for the earth, “to till and keep it” are the scriptural words. That’s a massive responsibility, something that has become plain in these last years as we’ve begun to realize just how fragile our environment is. But sometimes our attention wanders and we begin to think there are no boundaries for us…that we can do whatever we please, without repercussions. Often the first thing to go is our sense of stewardship and we imagine that we’re in charge, that all the blessings that have fallen into our laps are deserved and that we are the owners, and not just tenants. We plunder the bounty of the earth, hoard its wealth, upset its delicate balance, destroy its beauty…and are surprised when there are consequences. Genesis makes it plain…our selfish greed will ultimately be the death of us!
Thought for the Day: Why is good stewardship so hard for us?
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