Gift and Responsibility
Most mornings, weather permitting, my husband and I sit on our back porch with a cup of coffee to watch and listen to the birds. It’s one of our favorite things to do. The blue jays are usually first on the scene. They arrive bright and early, screeching boldly for their breakfast of unsalted peanuts. They sound almost entitled, but we know they are just excited — both to see us and to eat. Once they see that we have responded to their calls with numerous handfuls of fresh unsalted peanuts, their squawking increases as they announce to the others that it is time to eat. Finally, the hollering quiets down, and one by one they swoop down next to us in dive-bomber fashion, pick up a peanut, and fly to a branch, where they crack it open and enjoy the meat inside. After only about fifteen minutes, all of the peanuts are gone, as is the jays’ chattering. Their bellies are full, and they are content.
Without all the commotion of the jays, the other birds can finally enjoy their breakfast. Finches, mourning doves, cardinals, wrens, red-winged blackbirds, woodpeckers, bluebirds — the list goes on. With our bird identifier app, we have discovered more than forty-two species of birds within range, some of them quite rare. They all share the small piece of land we have, which includes numerous water sources, birdhouses, feeders, and shrubs, all carefully placed for their protection and enjoyment. I have noticed that their activity increases when we are outside. When we go in, they seem to disappear and grow quiet. People who are less observant of birds might think I am imagining this, but I have had pet birds for much of my life, so I know their behavior. They absolutely enjoy our company, and they become excited when we come outside.
As we continue our observations and conversations, my husband and I enjoy the company of other creatures too. Chipmunks tease us as they come very close to our toes and then dart away. Squirrels chase each other up and down the trees, and butterflies dance through the breeze. It is truly a joy to be among God’s creation and to have the ability to care for it. We have planted dozens upon dozens of plants, including fruit trees and bushes, a butterfly garden, and even a farm pond. Through these endeavors over the years, we have come to a greater appreciation for nature — each part has great significance, no matter how small. And each seems to speak of God’s magnificence by its very existence. We have learned to pay attention to what nature is telling us, because it does speak. The bushes, vines, and trees all tell us when they are unhappy with their location, if they need more or less sun, water, or trimming. They thrive when we respond, and they suffer when we do not. It takes awareness and effort on our part, but as we come to know all of it as living and in need, we notice, respond with care, and help it thrive.
If you are thinking my husband and I are a bit over the top, I would have to disagree. We are not doing anything other than what God has asked us to do: “The Lord God took the man and placed him in the Garden of Eden so that he might work it and care for it” (Genesis 2:15). Creation is a great gift — and with that gift comes great responsibility: “From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded” (Luke 12:48). We have the ability to do for the plants, animals, and land what they cannot always do for themselves: feed, nourish, water, protect, prune, support, restore, and cultivate. A garden may survive without us, but we have the ability to help it become something even more beautiful — a glorious work of art, offered back to God in gratitude. We can transform a small patch of land into a place of beauty, shelter, nourishment, and life. In doing so, we participate in God’s own creativity.
Today, on Earth Day, it is important to remember that creation can suffer when it is neglected or abused. We are called to see, to be moved by injustice, and to act with compassion. That includes all of God’s creation. As Pope Francis reminds us in Laudato Si', “Living our vocation to be protectors of God’s handiwork is essential to a life of virtue.” That can begin in the small piece of the world entrusted to us — in the birds, butterflies, trees, flowers, and wildlife around us. We can choose to care for them, protect them, and help them thrive. God has entrusted this world to us as a gift. It is not ours to destroy, exploit, or neglect. It is ours to tend, protect, and cherish. When we care for creation, we honor the One who made it.
Happy Earth Day.
All Reflections are written by Dr. Nina Marie Corona, founder of AFIRE Ministries. To explore more of her reflections on finding God in everyday life, visit When on Earth: Discovering Christian Spirituality in the Daily Happenings of Ordinary Life
© 2026 Nina Marie Corona. All rights reserved.
