Goodness in the Month of May
“And God saw everything that he had made, and behold it was very good.”
—
In Roman times, Maius was the name for the goddess of Spring. These were sacred days in the early Latin understanding of the world as life blossomed and the fruit of the ground once again offered sustenance to the world. Hillsides began to shout with color and floral fragrances wafted over the country signaling the full return of fertility.
Still today, many experience a new sense of energy and a surge of hope as the world moves past the awakening stages of March and April and opens fully to the newness of productivity. Spring crops offer a bounty of freshness and the first signs of summer begin to emerge.
Our Biblical Imperative: In the first chapters of Genesis, God gave us an imperative to care for the earth and all that was in it. May is a great month to be reminded of the earliest shepherds. They were to watch over their flocks with loving kindness; they also had to be ready and willing to risk their lives to care for each individual lamb. In the same way, we are called to be shepherds of God’s earth, caretakers of God’s world, and courageous risk takers on behalf of God’s good creation.
In one of the more poignant episodes of “The Andy Griffith Show,” Opey accidentally killed a mother bird with his slingshot. Her death left a nest of three baby chicks without a mom. To move beyond saying “sorry,” Opey decided to care for the baby chicks until they were old enough to care for themselves. At the conclusion of the show, Opey realized he had to set them free. He experienced conflicting emotions: he felt guilt over the inadvertent death of their mother; and he discovered a new and very deep compassion for the victimized chicks. His journey over the episode serves as a potent reminder of our own compassionate responsibilities. Opey discovered a profound sense of goodness. And his life lesson remains with us every day.
What Can We Do? This month, consider those things in our world that hinder beauty, rob us of goodness, and mar God’s good, created order. Think as you go through this lovely month of May about places you know that face environmental concerns.
Search for goodness. What might we do inadvertently to contribute to environmental problems? What can you do with compassionate responsibility to begin to make things right? Drive less? Garden more? Use less energy? Use less plastic, less water, fewer damaging chemicals? Take seriously today what you can do to partner with God in caring for this sacred gift of creation lovingly entrusted to us. Work for goodness.
Other Options for Caring for God’s World: I had the great pleasure of introducing Barbara Kingsolver in our sanctuary not long ago. She graced us with a lovely evening speaking about her latest book Demon Copperhead and other hard, valuable topics. One was caring for the earth. Add to your reading list her other famous and important book: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. She spent a year living only on food her family farmed or from local produce. The joys, hardships, and insights offer tremendous food for thought—and inspiration for taking care of God’s world seriously.
Sometime this month, do your best to plan and prepare a healthy meal with only local produce, either from your garden, from our own FBCD Farmer’s Market, or from a store that specializes in local foods. Give it a try.
Happy May everyone. And bless you for all that you do and all that you are.
Love,
David
David Jordan
Senior Pastor