Piloting Faith: The children will lead us...

A Word for the Day...

Have you ever hear of Will Steger? I first read about him in Bob Dotson’s book, American Story. Dotson tells the story this way: Will Steger is an adventurer, a man who seeks out places where no one has stepped foot before. He has traveled to the coldest places on earth where it hits 70 below. In the vast wilderness near the poles, he trudges alone through the icy landscape seeming oddly out of place. He says, “You have to go where there is resistance. That is where the adventure lies.”

Will Steger explored the unknown – one step at a time – for more than forty years, living his life in swirling snow, beneath angry skies and low clouds. Traveling back and forth between the poles, however, Steger began to notice the warming of our world. “It’s only by walking on it and skiing on it, day after day, month after month, that you get a sense, really the planetary sense, of what’s happening here. Every ice shelf I’ve ever been on is collapsing into the ocean. It shows you how fast the climate’s changing.”

Will would take great inspiration from our modern-day prophet, Greta Thunberg, and those who are rallying with her. Yesterday at the United Nations she called us all to task:

“You are failing us, but young people are starting to understand your betrayal,” Thunberg said. “The eyes of all future generations are upon you, and if you choose to fail us, I say we will never forgive you.” Greta isn't waiting for more empty promises. She is taking action. She tweeted later that day, "Today at 11:30 I and 15 other children from around the world filed a legal complaint against 5 nations over the climate crisis through the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child." They hope that this lawsuit forces global leaders to finally act to save our planet.

Every day unlikely heroes and sheroes rise up to inspire our courage and call us to action. We live in a culture where people are more offended by ‘swear’ words and middle fingers than they are by famine, warfare and the destruction of our environment.” It's time to follow Will, Greta and the hundreds of others who have been calling us to demand protection for our planet. Many preach about saving the planet; Will and Greta put on their boots and show up in protest to do so. It's making a difference.

What are you doing this week to help our planet? If it helps, I can send you some boots.

- Rev. Cameron Trimble, author of Piloting Church: Helping Your Congregation Take Flight

Prayer for the Week

Enlighten my mind with truth,
Enflame my heart with love,
Inspire my will with courage,
Enrich my life with service,
Pardon where I fall short,
Sanctify what I am,
Order what I shall be,
For thine shall be the glory,
Forever and ever,
Amen.

- Author unknown