Dominion

Now that I'm doing a Bible Story Club at two schools and reading the bible in a year (or less) I'm reminded of a number of things as I read and write the stories out for the children. The week before half term I started with a year 2 class and began with Adam and Eve.

I told them how God gave Adam and Eve dominion over all the beasts of the earth, the birds in the air, and the fish in the sea.  I had to explain what dominion means.  The dictionary says 'sovereignty, control'.  It's a bit like the Victorian housekeeper who had total control over the running of the house on behalf of her Master.  However, dominion does not come without responsibility.  You have to take care of everything over which you have dominion, keeping it in excellent order for the Master.

The dominion given us by God includes the responsibility for taking care of all his creations and the environment we are able to enjoy.  Of course, we take great care of our families, our children and our pets.  But as we have grown through mechanical, electrical and engineering advances we have ignored the needs of many animals and have damaged many aspects of our environment.  All in the name of progress, which it isn't.  In the last hundred years we have caused the extinction of the Great Auk and the Dodo, simply by our greed and thoughtlessness.  There may well be other creatures gone for ever too.  Vast acres of rainforest, woodlands and other areas have been, and are still being, destroyed to feed our desire for things we once didn't need.

Noah was the first recorded Zookeeper when God decided that mankind was so wicked that he wanted to wipe the earth clean and start again.  Are we heading for that situation again?  I don't think so, yet.  There are millions of righteous people around the world, but we tend to turn a blind eye to what is happening if it is not right in front of us.  Let us do whatever we can to stop the destruction of so much and take more care of God's creation.

Lord, you made us masters of all we survey when you gave us dominion. Help us, guide us, so that once more we can live without destroying the world you created for us. Amen.

Jim Finch