Teaching

Cumulative Impacts

Cumulative impacts result from the combined, incremental impact of past and present actions. Separate actions taken over time or over a broad geographic area can have additive or synergistic effects. While each action may be insignificant by itself, effects can stockpile over time and become cumulatively significant. In an influential paper published in 1982 in the journal BioScience, biologist William Odum described environmental degradation from cumulative effects as “the tyranny of small decisions.”

Negative Cumulative Effects

Odum argued that much of the confusion and distress regarding environmental issues could be traced to decisions that were never consciously made, but simply resulted from the cumulative effect of small decisions. For example, consider the loss of coastal wetlands along the east coast of the United States. These wetlands, usually dominated by salt marsh cord grass of the genus Spartina, provide many beneficial functions. They ease storm energy and reduce coastal erosion, reduce water pollution by biochemical transformation and physical filtration, and provide important nurseries for many commercially valuable fish species such as striped bass.

More than 50 percent of the marshes along the Connecticut and Massachusetts coasts were destroyed between 1950 and 1970 by human activity. Coastal erosion and storm damage increased dramatically, and populations of striped bass and other fish species crashed. No person or group purposely planned to do this, but the cumulative effect of thousands of individual decisions about conversion of a multitude of small tracts of wetlands created a huge loss of wetland function over a large area. Each decision and action was seemingly inconsequential, but contributed to a cumulatively significant impact.

Twenty years later, seemingly inconsequential small decisions of daily life still contribute to major cumulative impacts. Impacts to mountain environments and the people who live there usually do not result from the direct effects of any single decision or action, but from the combination of individual minor actions over time. There are many ways the fruitfulness of creation throughout the world is being impaired or destroyed by cumulative effects. Examples include:

Desertification in Africa and Asia;
Loss of forests and topsoil throughout the tropics;
Declining commercial fish stocks in the oceans of the world;
Decline of prime farmland and inland wetlands in the United States, and
Water and air pollution in many areas of the world.

Most endangered species owe their special status to the cumulative effects of combined small decisions regarding habitat conversion or overexploitation. We should remember that God uniquely created each species and preserved animal lineages in the Ark (while sinful people were destroyed in the flood). The covenant God made after the flood was not just with Noah and his descendants, but with every kind of living creature. (It's a covenant repeated five times in Genesis 9:8-16.)

As Pogo — the marsupial cartoon philosopher of newspaper comics past — noted, “we have met the enemy, and he is us.” It is the cumulative effect of our small decisions, small actions taken or left undone, or single voices and prayers lifted or remaining silent that cause or sustain most ongoing degradations of God’s creation. The cumulative impact of these degradations usually affects the poor disproportionately. That should get the attention of followers of Jesus.

Sin can also have detrimental cumulative impacts in our lives and the lives of others. Big sin that causes great pain to ourselves and others often results from the cumulative effects of small compromises in our lives. Consider the effect of compromises that King Solomon made in marrying so many wives and about which the Lord had warned. Solomon’s heart turned toward other gods and was not fully devoted to the Lord (see 1 Kings 11:1-4).

We can mistakenly think that our little sins can be kept secret, even though the Bible teaches us that whoever walks crooked paths will be found out (Proverbs 10:9) and God sees what is done in secret (Matthew 6: 4, 6, and 18). We can also forget the ripple effect

that our sin can have on other people. Sin entered the world through one man (Romans 5:12). But through Christ we are no longer prisoners to sin. Thankfully, we have been given the full armor of God in order to combat sin and our real enemy, who is not a cartoon. (See Ephesians 6:10-18.)

Positive Cumulative Impacts Through Christ

The big-picture perspective provided by a Christian worldview is needed to discern and avoid the undesirable, cumulative impacts of small decisions. Christians must have a large-scale perspective encompassing the effects of all their little decisions. The term “cumulative impact” is usually used to describe a detrimental or negative effect. However, as individuals within the body of Christ, we can each chose to contribute to beneficial or positive cumulative impacts.

Just as our many small decisions can contribute to environmental problems and separate us and others from God, so too can our many small decisions work in the opposite direction. We can each make decisions in our own homes and lifestyles that reduce the cumulative effects of environmental problems. We can draw closer to God by worship, the power of the Holy Spirit, and obedience to God’s Word. In a world filled with sin, despair, and gloom we can rejoice in having access to hope through the Cross.

Christian author John Piper understands the potential for beneficial cumulative effects in our spiritual lives. For example, in arguing for children to attend worship services with their parents Piper writes, "Worship is the most valuable thing a human can do. The cumulative effect of 650 worship services spent with Mom and Dad between the ages of 4 and 17 is incalculable."

We are all different, but each of us is called to be part of the ongoing cumulative work of God. In his first letter to the believers at Corinth, Paul writes: “And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. … Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. … Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it” (1Corinthians 12:5-7, 14, 27).

In the book of Romans, Paul explains that, “For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness (12:4-8).”

You may not feel called to serve on an Evangelic Expedition with Climbing For Christ. That’s OK. But each person who does go to share the Good News and serve the physical needs of others must have vital prayer support, people to care for their families and property while they are away, and people to be “Helping Hands” by contributing financial support. Each who is sent needs many senders. Think of the cumulative effect you can be part of.

While only a small group of people was sent on Mission: Haiti earlier this year, the many who helped in other ways participated in building the Climbing For Christ Church in the mountain village of Jeantilhome. Then the church also became a school. And in the future we hope it will become a clinic as well. God multiplies our gifts.

We each have a part to play in God’s cumulative plan for redemption and restoration. If we each used some of our time, talent, and treasure for Him, just think of the beneficial cumulative impact for the Lord! What gift has God given you, and how will you use it through Climbing For Christ? You make a difference with your seemingly small decisions by joining the cumulative work for God’s Kingdom. Climb on.

Jim Doenges is the director of Summit Stewards. This story originally appeared in The Climbing Way (Volume 6, Winter 2006-2007).