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Ecology and God’s Economy
One never knows the impact that a good conversation can have on someone else. The message this past Sunday focused on the difference between the economy of the world and the Divine economy. The American economy, the European economy, the Asian economy; all of them; seek a return on investment. In macro-economic terms, our system is that we expect our investments to grow. The macro-Divine economy is that we are to give/invest in something that will provide us no return. Zero, zip, zilch. Because, as Jesus says, we will be repaid in the resurrection.
The Divine economy is shown through two stories involving Jesus (Luke 14). He suggested that when we go to a party, we are to take the lowest seat. When the host/hostess arrives, he/she will look at us and invite us forward because all who humble themselves will be exalted. Secondly, Jesus said, when we throw a party, do not invite family members or friends or wealthy or well-connected people because they will in return invite you to a party and thus you will be repaid. Instead, invite people who cannot invite you back; invite the unprivileged; and you will be repaid by God in what Jesus called the “resurrection of the righteous.”
After the service on Sunday, my son Ethan, who is in his Sophomore year at University of South Florida, thanked me for the message and said he is going to use it in an academic paper on ecology. Ecological economics has to do with taking short term gains out of the ecology, like clear-cutting, that have long-term negative effects. How he framed his argument, however, was that the true ecological economy is that of the Divine economy – give to the environment because it cannot repay you. By setting aside land in which we cannot build, because we gave it to a protected species like the Florida Panther, we will then set up a system in which we are repaid by God. Here’s another way to look at this: if we protect saltwater marsh lands by not developing it and instead letting mangroves and seagrass grow abundantly, we are investing in a system that does not make a return on our investment. However, a generation later will find a natural protective barrier from hurricanes and sea surges. In ecological terms, that is the resurrection of the righteous.
Sunday afternoon he worked on the paper and turned it in (electronically, of course). On Monday, during class, the professor highlighted a couple of papers that he liked, with Ethan’s being on the top. [Or perhaps his paper was equal with the others but this proud dad imagines Ethan’s was on the top of the professor’s list] He asked Ethan to read a part of it to the class. When Ethan got to Jesus’ words about taking the last seat and who to invite to a party, the professor asked to read that part. The professor read the Gospel to his class in the same way that Justus reads the lessons at All Angels – with authority and with an ease that makes the passage easier to understand by those hearing it.
I’d like to highlight this point: because of Ethan’s paper, his professor proclaimed the Gospel message to his class. I imagine there were students who had heard this passage before and some who had never heard it. I also imagine this was the first time some students heard a message about Jesus that had nothing to do with judgement and damnation. The students heard this humble message – bless those who have less than you and God, who identifies with the underprivileged, the voiceless and invisible in society, will bless you. Some of you have been raised in a Christian tradition where Jesus’ words were used to scare you into doing right; because, if you don’t God is waiting to squash you. This passage however, shows what I think is the true nature of Jesus which is this: blessed are you who help others. That is a Divine economy of good news and one in which we can all participate.
- Rev. Dave
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