Water - God's gift

Water is arguably the world’s most valuable resource; life requires water. Of approximately seven billion people who today inhabit the earth, approximately 8% are chronically short of water. That percentage seems likely to rise to 45% by 2050 when the earth may have 9 billion people. Already one billion people – 1 in 7 – go to bed hungry at night, many because they lack the water to grow sufficient food.

Agriculture accounts for about 67% of all water consumption. However, that number varies greatly by region: 3% in Great Britain, 41% in the United Sates, 70% in China, and 90% in India. Producing a pound of beef requires four times as much water as does producing a pound of chicken. Industry consumes approximately 21% of the world’s fresh water consumption; domestic activities use roughly 8%. (John Grimond, “A special report on water: For want of a drink,” The Economist, May 20, 2010)

Water is an important biblical symbol of God's grace. Not only is water the outward and visible sign of God's grace in Holy Baptism, but Genesis depicts the Holy Spirit moving over water during creation, Isaiah likens water to God's grace, and Jesus describes himself as the living water that permanently satisfies.

Carelessly wasting or polluting water abuses the creation God entrusted to human stewardship. To become a better steward of water, learn to view each drop of water as a gift from God for which you are responsible. Treat water as the priceless source of life, refreshment, cleansing, food, or an improved quality of life. And pray for those who are working to end the oil spewing into the Gulf of Mexico in the wake of the BP deep water drilling disaster. Apparently, nobody really knows how to staunch the flow or to ameliorate damage already done.