At a conference I attended recently, the speaker mentioned that she was confused by the current interest in environmental issues as justice issues. In her view caring for the environment, although a good thing, is merely enlightened self-interest. We care for the environment because we care about our own survival. Mess this place up, use up all our resources, and we have a problem. If we want to ensure a decent, comfortable existence, we take care of the world around us. It’s as simple as that.
I chuckled at the simplicity of her equation, but failed to see the reality behind her words. Just because something is obviously and unequivocally good for us doesn’t mean that most people will actually be moved to do it. Take healthy living as an example. Most people know that smoking is bad for them or that a diet of fried food, sugar, and red meat might not be the best thing for living a long life. But people still smoke and super-size it up in the drive-thru. Similarly, most people know that taking care of the earth is a good thing, but few of them even make time for baby step environmentalism like recycling. So enlightened self-interest isn’t exactly a motivating factor that works.
I think the recent popularity of seeing environmental issues as justice issues has developed because people need something outside of themselves to motivate them. Behaviorism and rewards can only work for so long before people get bored. If the carrot that is dangled before me is that my life will be improved (or safer) if I make the effort to care for creation, I can easily choose to opt out of that particular reward. If it’s all about me, then it’s only about me. But seeing environmental responsibility as a justice issue brings love into the equation.
If seeking justice involves loving God and loving others with every aspect of our lives, we then are pushed beyond ourselves into patterns of discipleship and worship. We can always choose to opt out of such things as well, but sacrificing our relationships with God and with others is a much harder step to take. So we need to understand that we love God by taking care of his creation and his children. We demonstrate that love by refusing to trash our oceans and preserving the food supply for communities around the world. We stop emitting toxic gases into the atmosphere that alter ecosystems in areas of the world where most people have never even driven a car. We push for the restriction of pesticide use for the sake of the farmer’s exposure to such poisons every day.
Caring for creation is just that – an act of compassion that is done for others. We aren’t buying into some trend just for the sake of saving our own butts, but because we care about the people God has commanded us to care for. In loving our neighbor, we are restoring our relationship with them. If that relationship so far has been based on destroying their ecosystem, then restoring that relationship means ending that destruction. Instead of being self-centered, it is about being other-centered in obedience to following and serving God.
In short, it is not about me.