Earth Day: Where are the Tree-Hugging Christians?
It's April! April is the month that we celebrate Earth Day. Earth Day? Who really cares about Earth Day? Better yet, who really cares about the earth? In my younger years, I was one of the few who would look forward to Earth Day and enjoyed going and learning about gardening, plants, trees, recycling, mulching, and many other topics. You would often find someone adopting out pets in need of a new home and people who were passionate about protecting land, maintaining clean water, saving rainforests, recycling and keeping plastics out of nature, helping animals, gardening, eating nutritious foods, as well as juicing and growing medicinal plants.
About 8 years ago, I gave my heart to Jesus. My life was radically changed and I started to look for fellow Christians to connect with. For some reason, I noticed very few Christians attending Earth Day celebrations. Many Christians didn't even know anything about it, and those who did, didn't seem to care much or considered it a bit weird to go. What I came to realize was that the majority of people attending and celebrating Earth Day were not Christians (not that you can always tell of course). But it seemed that way based on the discussions I heard. There was a lot of honoring "Mother Earth," and discussions about evolution and many clear topics that were not apart of my new value system.
You may be surprised to know that I proudly and arrogantly called myself an atheist for quite some time. But as I became passionate about health, I started to develop a real deep passion for creation and ultimately for God. I discovered God through nature and the things He has made. I fell in love with Romans 1:20.
"For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse." -Romans 1:20
As I grew in my love for God, for creation, for health, and for people I began to realize something is drastically missing from the majority of my Christian brothers and sisters. We have forgotten God's creation. We somehow missed it or were deceived into thinking it doesn’t matter, including our body; this amazing holy temple God gifted us.
Can I ask a few thought-provoking questions to the body of Christ who might be reading this?
Where are the Christians who are passionate about the earth?
Where are the tree-hugging Christians?
Where are the Christians who are desperately trying to save animals being tortured by pharmaceutical drugs, the make-up industry, poachers, and nearing extinction?
Where are the Christians marching against Monsanto, fast food companies and the food industry that are destroying our health and children?
Where are the Christians cleaning up polluted rivers, lakes, streams, and oceans?
Where are the Christians growing medicinal herbs (God's original source of medicine before pharmaceuticals took over) and holding on to the ancient wisdom of using plants?
Where are the Christian owners of restaurant and health food stores promoting healthy foods?
The sad truth is they are mostly absent, and we are called to be a light to the world! There are so many non-believers that view the church as weak and unhealthy because of the ignorance of nutrition and their iconic choice to serve donuts and junk foods at all of their events. If we only knew the amount of non-believers who are astounded by how poorly most Christians take care of their bodies and how unhealthy they are.
Don't get me wrong. I know many Jesus lovers who are changing the world by exposing sex trafficking rings, camping out all night at abortion clinics, going to the ends of the earth to reach the lost, and of course the list goes on. But I sense a revolution is coming! A revolution of Jesus loving, earth loving, tree hugging, animal saving, pollution cleaning, holy temple honoring, nutritious food eating, herbal medicine embracing Christians are about to swarm this planet!
EVERY DAY is for God! And so should Earth Day!
God is the Creator of ALL things! God created the earth for YOU! It is your home, your dwelling place. There is no Mother Earth. There is only Father God who created all of this because of His amazing love for you! God fashioned you from the dust of the ground (Genesis 2:7). You were made to be connected to God through the earth and through creation.
Your body really is your temple. It matters how you treat it and what you put in it. God commanded us to steward the earth and steward our bodies. How are we doing? Look around! Have you ever read this scripture in the book of revelation? Just as God is jealous for YOU, He is also jealous for His creation and we have an obligation to care for it.
"The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come, And the time of the dead, that they should be judged, And that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints, And those who fear Your name, small and great, And should destroy those who destroy the earth.” -Revelation 11:18
Let’s make this a year of embracing God and embracing His creation by choosing to connect with the essence of God over man-made inventions. Today, I encourage you to go and tell people who really made the earth and why! I pray for the coming revolution of Christians that would start embracing good health, nutrition, herbal medicine, farming, gardening, loving animals, and cleaning up this beautiful world that has been destroyed.
This month, in honor of God and Earth Day, go hug a tree! Why not? It can only bring you closer to your loving God...
-Vaughn