Lessons from the Gulf Cleanup

     I watched a powerful CNN segment last night on the cleanup efforts in the Gulf. It chronicled the daily adventures of a Coast Guard crew that endures 100-plus degree temperatures on deck (wearing those yellow, plastic "chicken suits") skimming oil from the water's surface. The work that this crew contributes (and all cleanup crews contribte) daily to the Gulf-wide cleanup efforts could be so frustrating, and seemingly pointless, if they thought for a moment that they were doing it alone.
     How could they work each day if they believed the "redemption" of the Gulf was their mission alone.
     No, they focused on the mess in front of them, did their best to suck it out of the Gulf, and then disposed of it properly.
     Another cleanup crew rescued 41 birds off the Florida coast, cleaned them up, restored them to health, and released them in the Aransas refuge on the Texas coast.
     Another crew scooped up tar balls out of a 100-yard stretch of sand, only to watch more tar balls wash on shore the following day.
     The work of each crew is a drop in the bucket, but so significant because they are agents of a larger clean-up effort across the Gulf.
     Their work has reminded me of some imporant things. The first is that I cannot save the world. We cannot save the world.
     As much as our narcissism would convince us that the sun rises and sets with us and the choices (good and bad) that we make, and the actions that we take, redemption of all creation is a job for our Savior, and our Savior alone. All we can do is participate in some small way in Christ's reconciling work in the world.
     That means we do not have to carry the burden of redeeming every broken thing in our lives and in the  world.
     What a load off our shoulders this should be.
     But it also shows me that we cannot sit idly and not participate in God's redeeming work. Whether it is the Gulf cleanup, or cutting back on the goods that I consume, or being a friend to one person who previously had no friend, or sponsoring a child through missions like World Vision, we are all called to "put on the uniform" and get to work in some small way.
     There is plenty of work to be done.

"We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until not; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies." (Romans 8:22-23)