Considering What’s Good for All
Dear Friends,
I was listening to a fascinating interview the other day on Charlotte Talks about the plight (not flight) of the bumblebee. The person being interviewed, Jodi Helmer, is an author who is trying to teach people about what they can do with their lawns and landscaping to help bees and other pollinators do their work properly. When bees are able to do their work then the whole creation benefits and there is more food for everyone. The problem is that many people don’t want to do what it takes. But something as simple as letting your clover and your dandelions grow can make a huge difference. Something as simple as not using chemical pesticides and herbicides can change the world!
The problem is – we prefer our lush green lawns and are not willing to adjust our preferences for the sake of the whole. This got me to thinking about how we – as humans – can be so short sighted and how we – as humans – get so focused on our wants that we forget how it impacts the whole world, community, or family. The individual rights that we believe we all have are meant to be enjoyed – as long as they do not infringe upon the rights of others.
In our family – one of my huge pet peeves is people leaving their personal stuff and mess in a common space. What is the big deal about cleaning up after yourself? We try and encourage everyone in our family to at least keep the common areas picked up and clean. There is a lot more peace and happiness when this happens. We think that this should apply to our property as well, but the things we do on our property might very well have a negative impact on our neighbor.
As God’s people, as followers of Jesus, we are encouraged to think about the needs and interests of others. (Philippians 2:4). Lets make sure we model that for our children and for the world. When you are making a decision – think about how it will impact those around you and lets try and help our children learn to do the same.
To God be the Glory!
Robert
