What I’m Thinking: It Was Good

Genesis tells us that when God created the world, God created it good. Why don’t we treat the planet the way we treat things that are good?

Here’s a transcript:

I’m thinking about the first chapter of Genesis (Genesis 1:1-2:4), the creation of the world. There’s a phrase that is used over and over again in this step-by-step, day-by-day account of God’s creative activity. God looks at the things that have been made, and God sees that they are good.

Not every religion in history has looked at Creation and seen goodness. In the ancient world Jews lived shoulder to shoulder with Babylonians for quite some time, thanks to the Exile, and Babylonians believed that the world was an accident, that in fact it was an unfortunate accident created by the death of one of the gods. But Jews, Christians, Muslims believe that God meant to create the world, and that in meaning to create the world God made something good.

I guess my question, for we human beings in general but particularly those who believe that the world is a good thing, is why don’t we treat it that way? Why don’t we care for this planet? It’s the one that has supported our lives since we were born. It is the one that will welcome our bodies when we are done with them. Why don’t we treat this planet is if it were good.

Plastic in the oceans. Overfishing and overhunting of countless species. The way that we discard carbon into the atmosphere to keep ourselves warm or cool, and the way that we disregard rising sea levels and increasing temperatures and more violent weather systems in order to preserve, not our lives, but our comfort. Why don’t we treat the world as if it is something good?

To be truthful, I know the answer to the question, “Why?” It’s greed. It usually is. So the next question is not a question, it’s a challenge. Let us overcome our greed. Let us set aside our instinct for power, and let us go back to what God saw at Creation. Let us perceive this world for its goodness and treat it with respect, honor, compassion, and care.

That’s what I’m thinking. I’m curious to hear what you’re thinking. Leave me your thoughts in the comment section below. I’d love to hear from you.