It is Our Responsibility to Preserve the Environment

It is everyone's responsibility to preserve the environment.

One night, a man dreamed that the world was a huge building. At first, his living space within this building was filled with nice things and equipped with environmental equipment to moderate the temperature while filtering the air he breathed. There were numerous other residences within this building along with businesses and factories.

There were gardens and streams throughout the building and sunshine spilled through its many windows. At night, the windows became a portal by which the moon and stars could be viewed in all their glory. He and all who dwelt in the building were reasonably healthy and happy.

In time, as he made his daily rounds about the building, he began to notice factories going up along the streams where trees and plants once grew. Before long, he began to see fields of garbage piling up, choking out the pretty flowers and the air began to feel different.

Nevertheless, life went on as usual. His personal living space was clean, which was all that really mattered to him. However, as time passed, the streams didn't seem to be as clear as they once were. Some of the rooms he passed in his daily rounds began to emit unpleasant odors.

He began to develop breathing problems and became sick more often than before. Some of the windows developed cracks allowing harmful rays into the building, hurting the plants and heating the streams.

Then one day he ventured into a distant part of the building and came to a section that appeared virtually unchanged. The streams were much clearer and the trees and plants were strong and healthy. The air was much less dense and he could breathe easier, which was the way his part of the building used to be.

When he asked about purchasing a living space he was told, "In this section of the building, we waste nothing. Everything that can be reused is recycled to avoid waste. Our entire section is dedicated to keeping the building and air healthy and beautiful; it's the law here and anyone who lives here must do their part to help preserve the environment."

The man laughed softly and said, "These are modern times, man. Let the government go through the trash if they want to recycle. We have neither the time nor the desire to do such a thing. It's the work of menials. I earn a good living and deprive myself and my family of nothing. If we don't need or want it, we toss it out."

"It's not the work of menials. Even Jesus Christ- the one who could feed five thousand people with just a few pieces of fish and bread told the disciples to gather the leftovers. Do you think he approves of the wasteful way you've been living? Our air and water is clean, our countryside is beautiful and with the aid of wind, water, and solar power, we can sustain our energy needs virtually forever."

He went on to say, "But because of you and others like you, it won't be long until the contamination of your wasteful lifestyle will reach our area and we will have to suffer for what you have done to the building. It's not fair. You should be ashamed."

The man returned to his portion of the building and right away, he became disgusted with the filth of the landfills and the contamination of the streams and air. Frequent illness began to be a normal part of life for him and his family as he struggle to live in a crumbling environment. Ultimately, he decided that maybe caring more for the environment was a good idea and went again to visit the other portion of the building.

"You're too late," he was told. "People like you began moving into the area by the groves. Besides, your contamination has already reached us and it's only a matter of time before our portion will be just as bad."

As it began to dawn on him that he was doomed to live in the filthy environment he had helped to create, he opened his eyes and realized it was all a dream.

"... and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants.... and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth." (Rev. 11:18)