Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“Therefore the land mourns, and all who live in it languish; together with the wild animals and the birds of the air, even the fish of the sea are perishing.”
NL Daily Devotion for Tuesday, November 14, 2023
by R. M. Fergus, Clergy Stuff
Our actions have consequences beyond ourselves. Often we think that our decisions are about us, that we cause no harm to anyone but ourselves by our mistakes. While there are cases where this might be true, the fact is that we are all so completely interconnected and interdependent with others—other people, our communities, our world, our environment—that our decisions can have repercussions we aren’t even aware of. A friend of mine brought my attention to the fact that the fashion industry is one of the biggest (if not the biggest) polluter in the world. That the constant need to buy new clothing contributes to incalculable environmental harm (never mind the unethical clothing manufacturing practices all over the world). She is huge into purchasing used clothing, mending what she already has, and finding alternate and sustainable sources for textiles. As someone who loves to sew, I have become painfully aware of how even purchasing fabric and making my own clothing doesn’t help the situation, and I’m trying to be aware of ways I can lower my impact in this area.
God’s people’s flagrant disregard of God’s law has consequences far beyond just the people involved. The land mourns. The wild animals and birds languish. The fish of the sea perish. This is no different today. Our flagrant disregard of God’s call to be stewards of creation and to love our neighbors as ourselves leads to suffering we can’t even see.
Where do my daily practices have a negative impact on others or the environment? How can I make changes to those practices?
