Hello

 

Jesus tells his followers to love our neighbors.  I reckon this teaching tells us everything we need to know about how we should respond to climate change.

Everyone on this planet is our neighbor.  How can we love our neighbors who are affected by climate change?

I often hear people saying that someone else should do something about climate change.  Many people say the politicians should do something.  I don’t have faith that politicians will do very much.  I reckon we need to start doing something ourselves.  And I think we can.

Everything we use is manufactured.  This includes necessities such as food, clothes, and housing, as well as the many, many things we use that are not necessities.  Manufacturing creates the gases that are causing climate change.  So, everything we use has been manufactured and its manufacture has added to the gases that are causing climate change.

One way we can love our neighbors, and slow climate change, is by not buying stuff we don’t need.  It’s that simple.

We need to start ignoring the advertisers who tell us that we need stuff that we really don’t need.  We need to pray that we won’t be deceived by the advertisers.

We also need to consider future generations.  Are they our neighbors?  Of course they are.  We have a duty to them; to love them, look after them, and make sure they have what they need.  If we use up the earth’s resources now, for our own comfort, ignoring the needs of our children and their children, we are being selfish.  We are not loving our neighbors.

Sin is selfishness.  Selfishness is sin.  And this generation is being very selfish.  Let’s stop selfishly buying things we don’t need.

Finally, think about this: if I stop buying things I don’t need, I will have more money.  I can pay off my credit card or mortgage more quickly.  I can spend my extra money on helping others, including doing things that will heal our planet rather than hurt it.

May our loving heavenly Father bless us and guide us as we walk the path he walks with us.

 

Peter O

 

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