We are facing an imminent crisis regarding the health of our planet and our prodigy’s well-being. Experts predict that global warming will cause consequential and likely irreversible damage by 2030 if drastic emissions reductions aren’t implemented to limit warming to 1.5° Celsius above preindustrial levels.
I’m betting that the majority of U.S. voters ignore this warning. A few refuse to believe what science tells them. Others take the word of a rather dim-witted reality TV host over the advice of experts who actually know what they’re talking about. And for others, doing something about climate change is too inconvenient.
The World Meteorological Organization’s report on the state of our climate for 2024 reported that greenhouse gases reached record levels in 2023 and continue to rise so far this year. They anticipate 2023 and 2024 will be the two warmest years on record. And 2024 is on track to be the warmest in history. Note that the past 10 years have been the warmest ten years in the 175-year observational record.
Some skeptics wonder why warmer isn’t better, particularly as temperatures drop here in Michigan as winter approaches and winter sports don’t move their needle.
First, while our needs, wants, and desires are important, humans habitually make choices that aren’t consistent with satisfying even ourselves. We choose the short term with bad information, reducing our joy without realizing why we’re not satisfied. And we guard our bad choices as though we don’t have a choice. But we do have a choice.
Second, we organize into neighborhoods, churches, cities, and so on because we recognize that working together gives us a better chance of meeting our needs, wants, and desires. This notion is validated by experience and encouraged in scripture. Humanity long ago realized that survival, comfort, and progress result from cooperation more than conflict.
In our companion book this week, we read about vocation and advocacy. While we may vaguely agree on what it means to have a vocation, Kyle Meyaard-Schaap, author of Following Jesus in a Warming World, turns to Christian pastor and author Frederick Buechner, who describes your vocation as that place “where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.”
While poetically inspiring, more clarity is needed before we connect our individual roles in a warming world.
For some, vocation is obvious, and it’s easy to see that many individuals are engaged in activities that suit them. Numerous contributors who discovered new ways to address survival, comfort, and progress made the Industrial Revolution possible. Discoveries utilizing fossil fuels, in particular, contributed substantially to meeting the needs, wants, and desires of everyone on the planet. This contribution was significant enough that we find a direct correlation between national wealth and consumption of fossil fuels.
So why isn’t a plan to substantially increase exploration the right one for the United States?
This plan, touted by our incoming administration, will financially benefit a very small number of already wealthy individuals in the short run. But it will be disastrous for all of us in the next few decades.
The good news is that cleaner energy sources are available. The challenge is to apply our talents to meet our needs, wants, and desires and greatly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This is where advocacy comes in.
The obstacles we face are systemic. Fossil fuels impact every facet of life, from how we grow food to what we choose to eat to how we get to the store to buy groceries. Addressing them will require strong, visionary leaders, investment, and new legislation. Fortunately, the U.S. is still a democracy, giving each of us a voice and vote.
Advocacy involves using our collective voices to remind legislators that they work for us. We hired them with our vote, and we can fire them in the next election if they don’t listen.
Our companion book describes an effective process for communicating with legislatures at the local and federal levels. In addition, Schaap offers a tutorial on advocating through writing and social media posting.
Each of us is uniquely gifted to advocate for positive change. As Christians, we’re called to utilize our gifts for the common good.
“Well done!” said his master. “Come on in and share my happiness!”
Matthew 25:21
Matthew tells us about a story Jesus told that is frequently connected to vocation. Like other stories told by Jesus, this one brilliantly uses metaphors, allegory, and insight. This particular story is traditionally known as the Parable of the Talents.
While a talent, at the time Jesus told the story, was a particular amount of money, the homophone “talent” also means a capability, such as public speaking, singing, carving, cooking, and connecting. The parable describes God’s expectation for utilizing the unique giftedness we each receive.
Granted, it seems like some of us are more gifted than others. The point is we’re to use whatever we have to help each other without harming the planet we’re expected to care for.
“There was a wealthy person,” begins Jesus, “who left His servants in charge of His wealth while He was away. When He returned, He anticipated that each would invest whatever they were given charge of, thus multiplying His wealth. Two of them did as expected, while one chose to bury what his Master gave him to invest rather than risk losing it.”
“Good job,” said the Master to the two who invested. “Terrible job,” said the Master to the one who chose to bury His wealth.”
God gives each of us capacities, gifts, and resources to make the world better. We’re faithful when we invest whatever we’re given in doing the vocation we’re gifted for.
As we approach the end of our series, Life, we are left with the question: What is your role in following Jesus in a warming world?
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Pastor Tommy
Parts of our series are inspired by Kyle Meyaard-Schaap. Following Jesus in a Warming World: A Christian Call to Climate Action. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2023.