World Demand and Christian Living

Check out this excellent post over at CT by Rob Moll on the struggling American economy and the surging demand of the world. He concludes:

"But how should American Christians react to a world in which those resources we've become used to having mostly for ourselves are suddenly in demand across the globe? Can we learn to share our global resources? Must we see a lower standard of living in our future?

"Many Christian traditions have taught the lessons of simple living. Living simply, and thereby consuming less, does not necessarily correspond to a decrease in living standards. Those skills in simple living, it seems, are more needed these days as billions more people are now competing for a shrinking supply of resources. While some researchers foresee nationalistic competition in a scramble for limited resources, possibly resulting in war, Christians can be leaders not only in wisely exploiting creation but also in justly sharing it."

Sadly, this sort of wisdom isn't always understood or applied by American Christians, even though stewardship is a millennia old tradition and teaching (see the book of Genesis). "Going green" was invented by God, and his purpose is to use it to bring about the complete redemption of the planet.

In college, many of my fellow students believed that Christians were the worst stewards. Because Christians only care about getting raptured and taken to heaven, they would say, they could care less about caring for the earth. Now that is a fundamental misunderstanding of Christian theology. When Christ does return we won't be taken to heaven. Rather, God will fully redeem this planet and we will continue to be its caretakers (see Revelation 21). So "going green" today in some capacity is our responsibility for two reasons: (1) It aligns us with God's plan and will in redeeming the earth, and (2) it will show the world that we are not so self-centered that we care only about ourselves. In fact, it will show that we care precisely about the things they care for. Perhaps this will help lead them to see not just the creation but also the creator.