This Sunday at Millersburg Mennonite, we will be beginning a series we’re calling “Choose Life”.
As a historic peace church, we Mennonites are well known for our stance against war and violence.
However, a robust biblical understanding of peace encompasses far more than naming what we are against. Deuteronomy 30:19 offers this exhortation: “I call heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live”.
So we’re going to take the next several weeks, and look at various issues concerning the choices we make between life and death, curses and blessings.
This Sunday in particular, we will be taking a look at how we relate to the creation we are part of. We will pay attention to Genesis 3:1-7 for a bit of a biblical case study. This is the account where we are told of the first sin, when the Tempter urges Adam and Eve to consider the fruit that had been forbidden. We are told that when they saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that it was to be desired…they ate.
It’s a story of boundaries being crossed and limitations being exceeded. There was a garden, full of delights. And their job, their life was to tend the garden, enjoy it’s fruits, and enjoy the fullness of the relationships they had.
Their relationship with each other.
Their relationship to the creation.
Their relationship to God.
But as is the case in any healthy relationship, there were some boundaries they had to respect in order to maintain the health of the whole ecosystem. They push beyond those boundaries. They test the limits that had been established by the creator, by God. When they see with their eyes that the fruit was good for food, and desirable to them…they ate what should not have been eaten.
I think about this story sometimes, when I’m driving down the road in air-conditioned comfort…oblivious to the mountains of air pollution I leave in my wake. I think about it sometimes when I peel a banana after thanking God for the food I so easily access. Food that’s traveled further to reach me than I’ll travel in a year. I think about it sometimes when I read articles about how our Navy has figured out a way to turn seawater into Jet fuel.
Just because we can do something, doesn’t mean we should do something.
There are limits to our world. There are boundaries to what it can sustain.
I think sometimes we’re too willing to bend the world to our will rather than remembering our place as stewards…those in charge of tending life.
So what’s it mean to ‘choose life’ in regards to the environment?
You’re welcome to come be part of the conversation on Sunday!
Hope to see you there!
Preparing for Sunday 