Part 1
by Robert Waldrop
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth and gave humanity the stewardship of Creation. It is evident that we have not done well with that responsibility. The great need of this time is for Christians to take personal responsibility for the proper stewardship of Creation. The Lord does not need people to go along to get along with the culture of death. God calls us to act boldly & decisively against the culture of death which promotes greed, mindless material consumerism, lust, and violence.
High sounding ideals are great - but we must also ask - what do they mean in actual practice? How can we praise God while demanding that the government kill little kids in foreign countries to satiate our greed for gasoline? Are we like the Church in Laodicea, to whom our Lord in the book of Revelations in the Bible said, "I know your works, I know that you are neither hot nor cold. . . so, because you are lukewarm, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, 'I am rich and affluent and have no need of anything,' and yet do not realize that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked." (Revelations 3)
Are we ready to speak truth to power not only with our words, but with the way we live our lives? Can we reach for holiness and sanctity and not have that manifest in our lifestyle? How can we live a life that calls the government to peace, not war? Everyone must examine his or her own life with spiritual eyes wide open, and make choices about their ways and manners of living. Here are some ideas for discernment by people interested in Christian orthopraxis- right living - an orthopraxis that is rooted in orthodoxy. If you want a sign of contradiction to this modern world of violence, greed, lust, and gluttony, this is it. (See also the Works of Justice and Peace, page 20)
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