God's Creation and Human Stewardship

<h3>Creation and the Image of God</h3><p>Christians believe that the world did not appear by accident but was brought into being by <strong>God</strong>. The opening chapters of <strong>Genesis</strong> describe how God formed light, the sky, the seas, dry land, plants, the sun and moon, fish, birds, animals, and finally human beings. After each stage, the account says that what God had made was <strong>good</strong>.</p><p>Human beings hold a special place because they are made in the <strong>image of God</strong> (the Latin phrase used in theology is <code>imago Dei</code>). This does not mean people look like God physically. It means human beings reflect God in the ability to think, to love, to create, and to choose between right and wrong. Because every person carries this image, all human life has <strong>dignity</strong> and deserves respect.</p><p>With dignity comes duty. God placed human beings in the world to <strong>care for it</strong>, not to waste or ruin it. This responsibility is called <strong>stewardship</strong>. A steward looks after something that belongs to someone else and gives an account for how it was used.</p><ul><li>Caring for the soil, forests, rivers, and animals.</li><li>Using resources wisely and avoiding pollution.</li><li>Treating every person with respect because they bear God's image.</li></ul><div class="callout"><strong>Kenyan context:</strong> When learners in Nyeri or Kisumu plant indigenous trees on school grounds, protect a nearby wetland, or organise a clean-up after a market day, they are practising Christian stewardship. The late environmentalist Wangari Maathai's tree-planting movement is a powerful Kenyan example of caring for God's creation through simple, repeated action.</div>