A mentor of mine said to me, “Those that care, will.”

Context, Context, Context: One time I was listening to a podcast during my commute. In the course of that day’s conversation, one made the comment that we ought to leave the park a little cleaner than we found it. That stuck with me. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t enjoy a clean park. If it has nice paths, bike trails, clean restrooms, enough garbage cans, clean lawns, a playground for the kids, etc. a park can be one of life’s really simple but great beauties. But we’ve probably all been to parks that are quite different—where there’s litter, empty beer cans and Coke cans, trash in the ditches, filthy restrooms, and garbage cans that overflow with rubbish. The grasses grow out of control, and the playground equipment is in disrepair. And you know what happens? People who care don’t go back to such parks. The nefarious people set in, drug users and homeless set up camp, and, well, you know the drill.

Encouragement: “Those that care, will.” What did my mentor mean? He meant that if we’re out for the betterment of a park, a church, a business, the Army, etc., we’ll lead by example. We’ll pick up the litter. We’ll police our area, as we say in military parlance. Scripture teaches the same principle. In the creation mandate, Moses records the following: “The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it” (Gen 2:15). Work it and keep it. In short, wise stewardship. Or as my mentor said, “Those that care, will.”