Chris Cole FRSA

I recently saw on Cbeebies (I have no idea why I was flicking through that channel either!), a group of kids singing together and apparently having a great time. As I listened to the words, I realised the song was all about how we should care for our planet and recycle, save water, conserve energy and do all the laudable 'green' things that are currently so much in all our minds.

It seemed to be positive, all good stuff. But it got me thinking. On one level, the huge focus on green issues is a good thing. When God created mankind he gave explicit instructions that we were to look after the planet He gave us, and all its inhabitants. The fact that greed and exploitation have 'raped' the earth of its finite resources is a terrible thing.

But on another level, all this 'new morality' as it has been called can be just another form of man-made religion, in which we achieve a sense of smug self satisfaction at our own ability to be good people and do the right thing, in this case by recycling or whatever else we deem to be the height of good citizenship.

Unless we are connected in a relationship with the Creator who made it all, we end up worshiping (literally 'appreciating the worth of') the creation and not its Creator. If that doesn't sound so bad, imagine the outcry if we all applauded and cheered the football as it went into the back of the opposition's net at Home Park one Saturday, and gave never a second thought to Rory Fallon who had spent the previous week in training and then the last 90 minutes playing his heart out with the rest of the team to make the goal possible. And imagine how Rory would feel.

It's not the best analogy, it breaks down on many levels I know, but hopefully it makes the point. If we insist on focusing all our attention on the creation and not the God who made it and so best knows how to look after it, we'll be in real danger of never being able to find the real answers to the problems we face. That sense of smug self satisfaction soon fades, and if it does not it simply becomes unbearable 'worthiness' and hypocrisy of the kind that has, unfortunately, turned many people off religion.

The Good Book, and all the teachings of Jesus Christ, has a lot to say about love being the foundation for every kind of right action. If real love and concern for our fellow man does not motivate all our green efforts, we will soon tire of them.

And if a loving relationship with our father God does not form the basis of our desire to 'save the planet', we are in grave danger of missing the whole point - we are accountable to God for not just the way we live our lives, but also the motives of our hearts, including stewarding the resources of the earth wisely. One day, the Bible says, every one of us will stand before Him and give an account. He is incredibly merciful and has shown that loving kindness in His Son, who we remember at this Easter time for His death and resurrection to life, the life that He offers as a permanent gift to all of those who receive it. Spend a little time thinking about the Creator, spend some time seeking Him, and out of that relationship be as effective as we can be in looking after our environment from an attitude of love. And let's not judge those who aren't doing all we think they should - we've all been there!

This article was originally published in the Plymouth Shopper, a group of 7 localised community newspapers produced by Cornerstone Vision, reaching 62,000 homes every month in Plymouth. Each edition carries positive news stories and features, and provides local businesses, community groups and organisations with a very localised media platform to reach their own area.