Day 18 — Tend the Garden

“Then the LORD God took the man and placed him in the Garden of Eden to cultivate and keep it.”

— Genesis 2:15 (BSB)

What was the very first job God ever gave a person?

Before there were any teachers, doctors, builders or pilots, God gave Adam a job. He placed him in the beautiful Garden of Eden “to cultivate and keep it.” To cultivate means to help things grow. To keep means to take care of and protect.

Adam was the first gardener! And his job shows us something about how God wants us to treat the world He made.

God created everything: oceans full of fish, skies full of birds, forests, mountains, flowers and animals of every kind. Then He said it was “very good.” The world belongs to Him. “The earth is the LORD’s, and the fullness thereof,” says Psalm 24:1.

But God put people in charge of taking care of it. That’s called being a steward. Remember, a steward is someone who takes care of something that belongs to someone else. The world isn’t ours to do whatever we want with. It’s God’s, and He has trusted us to care for it.

That doesn’t mean we worship nature. We worship the God who made it. But when we take care of His creation, we honor Him, like taking care of a gift someone you love gave you.

Here are some ways kids can “tend the garden”:

• Don’t litter. Pick up trash when you see it.
• Don’t waste. Turn off lights, don’t let the water run and don’t throw away food you could eat.
• Be kind to animals. Take good care of pets, and don’t hurt creatures just for fun.
• Plant something. Grow a garden, a flower or a tree.
• Enjoy creation. Go outside! Notice the beauty God made and thank Him for it.
• Share. Share what you have with people who need it, because the earth’s good things are for everyone.

When you take care of God’s world, you’re doing the very first job God ever gave to people.

Think about it: Why do you think God gave people the job of taking care of His creation?

Try this: Do one thing today to care for God’s creation. Pick up litter, plant something, or take extra good care of a pet.

Dear God, thank You for the beautiful world You made. Thank You for trusting people to take care of it. Help me be a good steward of Your creation, and help me enjoy it and thank You for it every day. In Jesus’ name, Amen.