Green Guilt and the Theology of Waste

The Bible tells us in Ephesians 5 to: 15 Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.  In God's economy, there is no waste - we are told that He works all things for our good, and He can use even the small stuff to produce great fruit.   But, in man's economy, in the ways of this world - there is plenty of waste - using resources that God has given us for activities that don't please Him, using our time in ways that do not bring Him glory, and misusing opportunities so that we do not do the will of the Lord, perhaps even neglecting the people that He has placed around us to minister to and failing to follow His call.    The good news is that God will provide opportunities for us to be blessed, opportunities to do good, and the open invitation to draw closer to Him.   We can train ourselves to be sensitive to the leadership of His Spirit, Who will show us how to make the most of every day! We have been given resources, time, and opportunity in order to bring honor to God - as we sow to the Spirit, pursuing the things of God, then we will see His hand at work, bringing a blessing to others...and to ourselves.   Here's what 2nd Corinthians 9 says in outlining the sowing-reaping principle:
6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.


A survey came out several months ago about care of the environment and a phenomenon called "green guilt".   A research firm called the Shelton Group asked people what wasteful activities caused the most guilt in their lives.   The winning answer?  39% of Americans felt the most green guilt for wasting food.


This was the fifth annual such survey, polling over 1000 Americans.   The study also found that just over a quarter of the consumers felt guilty about leaving the lights on when leaving a room and wasting water (27%).   Failing to unplug chargers for electronics (22%), not recycling (21%) and forgetting to bring reusable bags to the store (20%) were also popular answers.    Energy-efficient light bulbs or thermostat settings?   Not so much (less than 10%).   Being careful about watering the lawn or not using chemical lawn or plant fertilizers - not such big concerns.

I believe that Christians need to be concerned about the environment, but we have to be careful not to worship the creation more than the Creator.   But, stewardship of the earth is a Biblical concept, and we should take that seriously.

And, our stewardship is also applicable to the financial realm.   Merely by being more careful to not waste food, the average family could save some $600 a year - that's significant.   We can be challenged to recognize areas of waste in our lives - regarding food...and a host of other areas.

Take, for instance, time - how much time to we waste each day, perhaps watching a screen or engaging in other non-productive activities?   Then, we say we don't have the time to spend 15-to-30 minutes in God's Word or in prayer to Him.    Entertainment is great, but the lure of media can pull us away from our devotion to God.

Or, what about wasted opportunities?   Maybe there's a relationship that God has ordained for us, in order for us to minister in some way, and we don't think about how God would use us in that person's life.   Maybe there's a service project or position that God is calling us to accept, but we decline because of our perceived insufficiencies or some other rationalized reasons.   We have to be intentionally about being good stewards of our time and our talents.

It's been said that our God wastes nothing - in His sovereignty, He will use instances in our lives to draw us closer to Him; He will help us grow in our lives as He teaches us.   We just have to look for His hand and follow His Spirit as He walks with us and we walk with Him.