Creation's Keepers

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"So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.  Then God blessed them, and God said to them, 'Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.'"  Genesis 1:27-28

I used to have a distorted view of the Garden of Eden, where Adam and Eve's life consisted of wandering around paradise, enjoying fellowship with God and each other, and eating luscious fruit as they so desired.  I overlooked the fact that God "took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it" (Gen. 2:15).  It was part of God's good design that he gave mankind stewardship over his creation, to labor, produce, and manage.  It's important to  note that this mandate was given before the fall, signifying that work had dignity; it was a good gift from the Lord, and was not given as punishment. After Adam and Eve sinned and were banished from the Garden, man's responsibility of subduing the earth continued, albeit with more difficulty.  
We recognize God as the supreme owner of all things, but we also see throughout scripture that God provided principles regarding private ownership of property, for our own as well as our neighbors'. When Moses received the Ten Commandments, the Lord included "thou shall not steal" as the eighth commandment.  But the tenth commandment is equally pertinent, "thou shall not covet."  Why did this commandment make it into the top ten?  The sin of covetousness is at the root of many other sins, including the sins of theft and vandalism. As good stewards of creation, we are called to not only care for our own property, but also respect the property of others. Through our obedience, we bring honor and glory to the Creator of all things.