vv 5-6 Yet you made them only a little lower than God and crowned them with glory and honour, putting all things under their authority
The Psalmist is clear; humanity has a special place in God’s Creation. Humans are unlike other creatures; they are not simply highly developed apes – in spite of the fact that they share similarities in their DNA profiles and appear to be connected. It is not the biological similarity that is significant, but rather that humanity has been given a leading role (Authority?) in managing (Caring for?) what God has made. We found this idea in yesterday’s reading from Genesis 1, ‘Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over …..’
We carry the image of God in us (and that’s another big topic isn’t it!), and therefore we carry a definite responsibility as God-appointed leaders in Creation to look after it.
Interestingly enough, even people far-removed from Christian Faith are waking up to this responsibility. ‘Caring for the Planet’ is definitely an ‘in thing’ at the present moment, almost to the point of it becoming a political crusade, rather like a ‘Super-Green Party’. Serious conservationists are doing what Christians should always have been doing! Their motives may be very different from the Christian dynamic – but they are serious about doing the right thing for the planet – God’s earth.
How do you see yourself in this God-appointed role?
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