Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for you are with me, your rod and your staff they comfort me. — Psalm 23:4

Between August 25 and October 1, 2017 (a mere 37 days) we mortals have been pelted with report after report of one disaster or another.

It began on August 25 when Hurricane Harvey’s 130 mph winds and 30–50 inches of rain buried southeast Texas, especially in and around Houston.

A week later, Hurricane Irma slashed her way across the Caribbean, wrecking havoc on both the American and British Virgin Islands, until slamming into the Florida Keys on September 10 and literally enveloping Florida with her rage.

On a sunny Tuesday, September 19, a 7.1 magnitude earthquake rocked central Mexico for about 20 seconds, killing over 200.

The next day, on September 20, everything collapsed simultaneously at the relentless hands of Hurricane Maria on the island of Puerto Rico.

With bad news following bad news, we ask, where is God is all this? We don’t claim to know the mind of God, but we have seen how these tragedies bring out the best in people:

• In Texas, volunteer citizens with a flotilla of boats streamed toward Houston even as the flood waters continued to rise.
• On St. Thomas, a group of residents who could have evacuated before the storm, stayed to help rescue the animals left behind.
• In Mexico, a group of men with no training or equipment, used their hands to dig through rubble of a toppled elementary school to rescue young children.
• In Puerto Rico, neighbors shared what water and food they could find with one another and those with homes that still had roofs, or had not been flooded, took in those needing basic, safe, dry shelter.

In the days and weeks after these natural disasters, many stories have emerged about acts of bravery and kindness. They are testaments to the inherent goodness of people who are made in the image and likeness of God. When bad things happen, we are invited to turn evil into good and find peace. Significant natural disasters, though not caused by God, are allowed by God, to allow us to see His goodness in everything.

At yet another anniversary of the Declaration of Independence of America, we at the Stewardship Foundation reflect on our credos: freedom of religion, marriage between one man and one woman, sanctity of human life, and traditional family values based on Judeo-Christian beliefs. We are concerned about the shifting cultural attitudes and moral values of our citizens.

According to Gallup, 72% of Americans agree that the state of moral values in America is getting worse than better in this country, while there is a palpable shift to the left on specific moral issues like same sex marriage, euthanasia, abortion, and gender identification. Why the difference between values and issues?

When the Gallup pole asked Americans to talk about what was wrong with religious moral values, many responded this way:

• We need to be considerate of others and their choices
• We can’t allow deficits in public compassion
• We must be respectful and tolerant of others
• We can’t allow greed, selfishness, or dishonesty to rule the day

Our modern culture seems to look askance at biblical principles when there’s a chance that someone’s feelings might be hurt. And according to Gallup, these responses aren’t just from the 18- to 34-year-olds but to those 55 and over as well.

Our commitment to morally responsible investing is not to be confused with socially responsible investments (climate change, animal rights, etc.). In 2009, there was another “declaration” affirmed by notable religious leaders in New York City responding to a “call of Christian conscience”. This declaration affirms, without reservation, the dignity of life, that marriage between a man and a woman is the most basic institution in society, and because all men are made by God to be inherently free, religious liberty.

We patriotically embrace the original declaration of 1776, but we will never waver from the moral declaration of 2009 that shaped the roots of the Stewardship Foundation.