A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of speaking at Belmont University’s convocation, as well as with a freshman seminar class studying creation care. When I told the director of spiritual life that I would share my creation care journey and then ask students to work in small groups on a Good Steward Covenant—committing to specific actions they would take today, this week, this month, and this year—I could see he was a bit skeptical. No speaker had ever done anything quite like this in convocation, but he was game. At the end of the talk, my host was delighted to see spokespeople from each group lining up at the podium to share their creation care commitments. It was exciting for him—and for all of us—to see the students “so engaged, and so eager to share.”

After convocation, I visited the freshman seminar. We arranged our chairs in a circle, and the students asked questions. My only regret is that we only got to about half of the students—their questions were remarkable, but we ran out of time to answer them all. 

Before we parted, I asked the students if they would be willing to share the personal credos each had written. Below is a contribution from the young woman sitting next to me:

I believe it is crucial for me as a young adult in today’s society to pay extra attention to keeping our earth green. I believe that by not having my car this year, I’ve lowered global CO2 emissions, even if only by a fraction of a fraction of a percent. I believe that by carpooling everywhere, my friends and I aren’t damaging the air as much as those who all take separate cars to the same place. I believe that by shortening my shower time by two minutes and turning off the sink water while brushing my teeth as Nancy Sleeth suggests, I’m saving water and using less of the world’s limited resources. I believe that by having recycling bins all over campus, we are making it super-easy and convenient for young adults to make a difference without them hav ing to take the time out of their days to think about how they can recycle; the opportunity is right in front of them, wherever they go. I believe owning dishes and washing them whenever I need them is far more sustainable than purchasing and repurchasing disposable plates, cups, silverware, etc., like so many college students do. I believe that making gifts and homemade goodies for friends’ and family members’ birthdays saves money and the plastic resources that are entailed when buying someone a gift. I believe that walking to class and to church for lessons not only saves me money that I would spend on gas, but also saves the air from CO2 and allows me to appreciate God’s green earth; I find new things everyday to be thankful for that I wouldn’t even have seen had I been driving.

Wow! Interactions with students like this give me so much hope for God’s Kingdom here on earth. I especially love the closing line—the unexpected gift of walking instead of driving has opened this young woman’s eyes, allowing her to see new things each day to thank God for, things she would have missed zipping by at forty miles per hour. 

Imagine the things we would see if we started living our lives as if they were a journey of transformation rather than a mad dash to the finish line. My prayer is that we all slow down, especially in this holiday season, to appreciate God’s creation through the timeless eyes of Christ, the Child.

Nancy Sleeth is the program director for Blessed Earth. For more information about Nancy please visit our staff bio page.