Be a Steward of God's Creation

I attended a recognition awarding of partners for the environment yesterday in the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. It reminded me of an article I wrote in 2006. I'm reposting it below:

In this present generation, we hear a greater deal of environmental issues compared to any other time in history. Just 10 years ago, warnings of global warming were not taken seriously by some key countries, specially the United States, who would rather sacrifice the possibilities of the damaging effects of greenhouse gases in favor of its economy by not signing the Kyoto Protocol. Now, global warming is no fairytale, it is a fact. Global warming will happen. Actually, we are already experiencing some of it today. There are already symptoms of what is to come. We learn of polar caps melting, experience unusually hot days at certain times of the year, and visited by more typhoons in abnormal frequency, just to name a few.
It is not anymore a matter of preventing, but a matter of adapting. We can stop further damages to our ecology, but we will still experience many environmental back lashes caused by man’s irresponsibility and lack of action. In more than one way, all of us are guilty. So, what do we do about it? We follow God’s command for us.
“Have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and all living things that move on the earth.” Gen 1:28
From the very start, we are mandated to have dominion, to be stewards of His creation. In Couples for Christ, we are evangelized and brought to a community where we can all experience the love and support of our brothers and sisters. Yet, we also must remember to also love and support the rest of His creation. Here are compelling reasons why each should be challenged to be a steward of the environment:

7 reasons why we should be a STEWARD of the environment.

Supply is limited.
Natural resources can be classified as renewable and non-renewable. Renewable means that these resources can be replenished by means of natural cycles through water, air, plants, and animals. Non-renewable resources are those that once are used cannot be replenished. Examples of these are ores of different metals, coal, and oil. When we destroy the ways in which our natural resources will be replenished, through pollution, we might ran out. Ours is a finite earth. We all live in one planet and share the same resources.

Time is running out.
Everything must go somewhere.
The waste that we throw away does not disappear into oblivion. It goes somewhere else. Unless our waste is put into right use, it will cause problems like the plastics that clog up sewage, causing floods in urban areas. Harmful gases doesn’t just vanish into thin air, it contributes to the greenhouse effect that causes global warming.

We are all affected.
We are all living in a global ecosystem. Once a major change happens in one part of the world, then all of us get affected. The melting of the polar caps is rapidly increasing the sea levels, threatening the existence of some islands. The elimination of some animal species due to poaching can cause imbalance in an ecosystem by disturbing the natural food chain.

Apathy is widespread.
In spite of the many campaigns, reminders, and tips on saving the environment, still there are millions out there that think that it is someone else’s job to take care of nature. Many feel that they have bigger problems to tackle. If we do not convince others to be proactive for the environment, then we are fighting for a lonely cause.

Responsibility for God’s creation
We are not requested to be stewards of creation, we have been commanded. This should be reason enough to take care of nature. We must own up to our responsibility, for God entrusts us to love what He has wonderfully created. We hear of dynamite fishing, kaingin (slash and burn) farming, and illegal logging which violate our call to preserve and beautify nature.

Degradation of the quality of life.
Because of man’s sinfulness, we lost paradise. The slums that surround us are results of our greed and selfishness. Instead of building places of beauty, we breed depressed areas. In these places we see that trash and waste matters are dumped into the rivers. There are mounds of garbage in many different locations, swarmed by flies and mosquitoes that may bring disease.
With the above mentioned reasons, here are their respective action steps;

7 action steps in becoming a STEWARD of God’s creation.
1. Save as much as you can.
Save water, save trees, save electricity, save gas, save energy. Save, save, save. Conserve resources at all times.
2. Today is the day to start.
There is no better time to start than today. Each day that we delay our decision to help save the environment, affects our not so distant future.
3. Ecological Waste Management
Segregate! It is crucial to separate non-biodegradable and biodegradable wastes. Wastes such as plastic bottles can be recycled for profit, animal dung turned into fertilizers, and some hard plastics into containers. Segregation also lessens the collection of garbage in your neighborhood, leaving only residual wastes to be collected.
4. Work with others.
Since we are all affected, we should work with other groups. Not one group can solve the problem of the environment. Everyone should do their share and collaborate.
5. Advocate.
Education on the environment will help open the eyes of many people and move them into action. Be an advocate for the environment by first of all being an example. You can organize forums on the effects of global warming and how we can affect change in our simple ways. Turn the apathetic into energetic advocates.
6. Restore what has been ruined.
We are to restore what we have damaged and lost. Planting as many trees, helping preserve wildlife, actively reporting smoke belching, and reporting dynamite fishing are just some of the initiatives that we can do to help bring back and flourish our flora and fauna.
7. Develop environmentally healthy communities
By building communities, we are also helping save the environment. We give values formation to the homeowners as to handling proper waste disposal and becoming caretakers of the trees, plants, and animals in their surroundings. This way, we prevent diseases from spreading. We uplift the quality of life of the poor and empower them to be stewards of the environment.
“God looked at everything He had made, and He found it very good.” Gen 1:31
Let us not disappoint the Lord further. Honor God by loving His creation. We are preparing this world for our children to inherit. May they swim in clean waters, breathe fresh air, and enjoy the scenery of forest covered mountains because of what we have done in our lifetime. Never forget that the earth is our home, our oikos.

Be Well, Serve Well, and Finish Well

I was inspired of a talk I heard a week ago. It was about delivering God's work. It had a lot of very good points. But what struck me the most was about our posture of being a servant. He said that we should strive to "Be Well, Serve Well, and Finish Well."

Being well is basically about our present condition. May it be physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual well-being. It is important to be fit and sound in all these aspects. Physically, we exercise and have the right diet to avoid getting weak and sick. Mentally, we devote time in building our intellect by reading books, doing further studies, and learning from other people. Emotionally, we check if our hearts are in the right place, that is with the Lord. Spiritually, we have a solid time for prayer and reflection. We feed the soul with God's wisdom and blessings. So you, my child, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus (2 Timothy 2:1).

Serving well is what we do for God. Many of us try our best to serve well without being well. The outcome of course is a burn out. As we serve God in what we do, may it be in church or offering your school or office work to God, it is important that we serve with humility and dedication. We are to serve passionately but maintain the posture of a servant. As each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of God's varied grace (1 Peter 4:10).

Finishing well is about striving to give our best until the end. Many start the race strong and fast, only to run out of steam near the finish line. Let us not transition to another assignment because we feel we are not productive at present. Instead, give your best and be at your best when you are about to shift to another service or work. Finishing well is also about giving excellently with the work that has been entrusted to us. To the best of our abilities and leadership, we work towards offering to God what he rightfully deserves. Finish well!

In general, being well, serving well, and finishing well is how we should live our lives. Many of us start off with our Christian life strong, we are well and we serve well. But later in life, many lose heart and forget to ask strength from the Holy Spirit and succumb to the temptations of the world. May we all be faithful to the Lord and be able to truly finish well. I continue my pursuit toward the goal, the prize of God's upward calling, in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14).

The Bond of Friendship

I just came from a 5-day retreat/planning with fulltime workers of Kids for Christ. We woke up at 5am everyday, and had our prayer and worship at 5:30am. After which, us boys went to play basketball just before breakfast. It was a time to bond with co-servants and a time to bond with the Lord. Reflecting on that experience these are what I realized about bonding:

B - believe in others
O - open one's self
N - nurture friendship
D - develop regular communication

Believing in others creates an atmosphere of trust and confidence. This brings out the greatness in people and the greatness in our friendships.

Opening one's self leads others to also open up. By disclosing ourselves, we are putting a stake on our friendships and making each other accountable for parts of our lives.

We nurture friendship by extending help to them, adding value to each other's lives. We 'feed' the friendship by encouraging words and guiding our friendships towards the way of God.

We develop regular communication to be able to sustain and enrich the bond. Whether it is through meeting up, through the internet, or greeting cards, what is vital is we get updated with their lives.

More importantly, it is love that bonds us. Put love in believing, opening up, nurturing, and developing communication, and surely we can create a bond that is enduring and lifelong.

And over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection. Colossians 3:14

A Father's Day Reflection

It's Fathers Day! I have mixed feelings celebrating this day. I am joyful because it's the day we fathers are remembered and honored. People approach me and say, "happy father's day Kirbs." I got a lot of emails and facebook messages greeting me for being a dad. I am at the same time missing my own dad. It's my first Father's day without him. He passed away on December 19, 2009. Days like this make me miss him so much. I guess I can't call him long distance by phone anymore, but through direct contact in my prayers. I love you Dad.

This day, we also remember the Father of us all, God the Father. Jesus introduced God to us as a Father. He taught us to pray through the Our Father, "And he said to them, “When you pray, say: “Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come (Luke 11:2)." Jesus also tells us that God the Father gives us the Holy Spirit as His promised gift for those who ask. He exhorts, "What father among you would hand his son a snake when he asks for a fish? Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg? If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the holy Spirit to those who ask him?" Luke 11:11-13. Jesus also paints the image of God as the father in the story of the Prodigal Son. "So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him (Luke 15:20)." Indeed the our Father in heaven is a father who is most holy, most generous, and most forgiving.

We thank our fathers here on earth. Through them, we are able to understand God better as our Father. We also honor the men who stand as father figures for children whose dads are not present while growing up. For our dear priests, who are fathers to so many lost souls that find their way back to Christ through the Church, this is your day too. Happy Father's day!

Nothing But Christ

Last night, it was a privilege for me to lead thousands of people in worship during the CFC anniversary. Most of us were wet because of the rain, but the people persisted in staying because they wanted to listen to the Lord. The challenge was that the drums and other instruments could not be used due to the rain. So I had to lead the worship accompanied with only the guitar, keyboards, and the wonderful voices of the MCG band singers. Regardless of the lack of instruments, the Holy Spirit took over and filled the hearts of the people. I could see them worshipping God intently with much hunger and thrist for His presence in their lives.

What I learned is that what is truly important is Christ, The rest are just details. I heard Mike Serapio exhort the crowd yesterday, "If we have everything but Christ, then we have nothing. But if we have nothing but Christ, then we have everything." During the Papal Nuncio's homily yesterday, he exhorted the crowd to truly be for Christ. St. Paul teaches us with his conviction in Philippians 3:8,"Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ."

We went home with our feet drenched, our clothes wet, and our bodies aching. But our hearts were filled with joy, experiencing fullness in Christ. No matter what kind of weather we go through in our lives, what is important is that Christ is holding our hand and assuring us of His love.