The idea that something is to last in our instant gratification society may sound strange, but it is important to consider. Often the use of the word sustainability is used by environmentalists or ecologists in reference to the earth. By definition it means to meet the needs of the present without compromising the future. The definition of needs and the length of the future is what make sustainability controversial. Humanity got along without oil for thousands of years and the argument about its use now is about how long the supply will last. This blog is far more expansive that the environment, though.
When I was 19 I noted that successful men drove nice cars and lived in nice houses, so I rented an upscale “bachelor pad” apartment and bought a Cadillac. The car insurance was more than the car payment due to my age, but I figured since the rental leasing company, the banker and the insurance salesman all seemed so willing, I could afford it. Since those three costs alone exceeded my paycheck you can correctly guess my lifestyle was not sustainable. The definition of need versus want is as obvious in this illustration as is the lack of sustainability. The economics of our government is no different today.
As a person, as a family, or as a nation, sustainability is not only important but must have a source. Hebrews 1:3 says “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by His powerful Word.” The power of God is described in Isaiah 46:4: “Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.” Genesis 1:1 says “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth”. Genesis 5:1 says “When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God”. He is the source.
The environmentalists fussing over the projection of oil reserves or the economists fussing over the national debt, or even the multitude of adults who live lifestyles that exceed their income are all concerned by the limits they perceive as controlling. It is human nature to try and gain control by expanding the limits or controlling what exists. The theory is that our minds can conceive unlimited resources OR societal control of allocations of limited resources. The ecological movement, as an example, focus on what is bearable, viable and equitable. The fairness of the allocation is the equitable view of what exists today.
If the source of sustainability is the human mind, rather than God, how much future must be accounted for to prevent compromising the future with the present? If the source of sustainability is God, as I am trying to convince you of, the length of the future is known. He not only knows the future, He provided a roadmap of how to live life for each human. The sustainability of each person, each family unit, each nation and the entire planet rests on recognizing the truth and commandments provided in His powerful word. The social, economic, and environmental considerations conceived by the human mind are not enough.
This is being written right before the 2010 midterm elections that prompted an outrage from fiscal conservatives about government spending, since it is not sustainable. This election cycle followed the 2008 Presidential election that brought an administration claiming to be environmentally focused and socially sensitive for the same reason. Previous generations of American politicians grasped the spirituality requirement of sustainability for a society. Sustainability is the capacity to endure. Your family, business, job, church, state, nation, society and planet will NOT endure in the long term.
The eternal perspective for each of us is far more than our earthly view of life. While we battle over debt, environmental policies, lifestyles, and governments recognize the God factor. While I have strong opinions about all those things they are temporal. Life for our physical body is followed by death, while life for our soul is eternal. I defined sustainability in the first paragraph as meeting the needs of the present without compromising the future. The length of time we are stewards of our body, disciplines, personality, family, and societal responsibilities is far shorter than the eternal aspect of our soul.
Stewardship describes the responsibility we each have for sustainability. Mark 8:36 asks “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul”? The BIBLE acronym has been described as “Basic Instruction Before Leaving Earth”. It clearly shows each one of us how to apply those instructions to our individual situations by the interaction with the very spirit of God. That process is called prayer and 1st Thessalonians 5:17 says to pray continually. Ephesians 6:18 says “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests”. Life is full of decisions that will affect an unknown future. Please check with the source before deciding.
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