Psalm 8 is one of my favorite psalms. Look at the love and confidence God shows us.
We know from the Book of Genesis and the first creation story, that after God created human beings, he gave them "dominion" over all creation. This responsibility is what psalm 8 describes. This is an awesome responsibility!
As I look around, I question how well we have lived up to this task. We have overfished many of our lakes and oceans; we have overhunted to the point where some animals have become almost extinct.
I would never question the right of anyone to hunt or fish for food, or to provide food for others. In fact, my daughter is one who has hunted and fished and I have enjoyed her venison and fish on more than one occasion. But I do question people who hunt for trophies and discard the animal.
We have polluted our rivers and our lakes so that there are areas of the world with no access to clean drinking water. This pollution is the result of greedy companies who pour toxic chemicals into the water rather than safely disposing of them.
We have polluted the air so that there are places where you cannot safely breathe without a face mask.
Then we have become so dependent on fossil fuels that climate change threatens every corner of the world. The melting of the polar ice caps is already making the seas rise. Our weather patterns are changing and creating more earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, tsunamis, and blizzards.
We have not done a great job taking care of creation.
When those who want change make their voices known, they are often dismissed as fear mongers. The reality is, it might cost us money, or cause us discomfort.
We have a responsibility to leave the world in a better situation for our children, and God is watching.
