The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters. Psalm 24:1-2 (NIV)
My son’s room is a pig sty. It makes me so upset that I do not even open the door to his room anymore. So many clothes litter the floor that you cannot walk without stepping on them. There is garbage, potato chip bags, drained water bottles or empty ice cream cartons mixed in. Dirty dishes are everywhere. In one corner is a pile of rappelling gear. A moldy tent is wadded up in another. Don’t even try to look in his closet. I think there is still a leftover sandwich from ten years ago in there. Honestly, it looks like a landfill. It is just plain gross. I imagine when God looks at our world, He feels the same way. Today is blog action day. All bloggers are supposed to write a post about the environment. When I started thinking about that subject, this verse is the first thing that came to my mind. I could talk about all the ways we are ruining our world, developers raping the land, phosphate mines exposing radioactivity, storm sewers dumping pollutants into our water supply. Our community’s river is nicknamed, The Singing River. I think these days, it would prefer to gargle. It once was the meal ticket for the community. Now, everyone is afraid to swim in it. Instead of complaining, I would rather remind readers that the beauty that still survives is a just a glimpse of what our Creator made for us. He intended this world to be so much more before man got a hold of it. Right now, He is letting us use it, but someday, He will reclaim it and redeem it once more. In the meantime, each of us is responsible for our little corner of the world and making it a better place to live. When I designed my son’s room, I had him in mind. I took care with the colors and the arrangement and placed special features throughout intended to amuse and bring him pleasure. But, when he walks through its door, he throws his shoes in the corner, leaves his soda can on the table, candy wrappers on the floor and a banana peel on the couch. Don’t make a mess of the world that God has given you. Make a choice today to do something about it and be a better steward of this place we live. Install a rain barrel, begin to recycle, limit the trips in your car, compost, buy locally grown food, trade in your gas guzzler car, or choose a better light bulb even if it does cost more. We have more to fear than bad air or dirty water. I have about reached the limit with my teenager. He may be content to live in a dump, but his mother is on the verge of exploding. Soon, I will force him to clean it up. Someday, the Creator will hold us accountable for what we have done with His gift. Use it wisely.
My daughter was the same way. I think most teenagers are this way today – so not to make light of it because it drove me nuts, too – but you are surely not alone in this problem!! I even remember (I’m ashamed to say) my mother keeping the door to my room shut because I didn’t keep it neat. I didn’t have left over food, etc., but it wasn’t neat and clean either. My daughter even had a roach in her room once – a big fat palmetto bug, which made her scream – but do you think she stopped leaving empty food wrappers and open containers in there? Nope.