Rooted in Service: Reimagining Selflessness through Community Tree-Planting
On Thursday 31 July, our school observed the National Tree Planting Day by planting one hundred trees.
A few minutes prior to the commencement of the ceremony and event, I was reflecting on the cultural essence of what we are undertaking as a school. For us, this was more than an ecological exercise – it was an expression of selflessness on the part of our school community. Our school community was thinking beyond the immediate, individual benefits. This exercise was an investment in a future participants may never fully enjoy – an evident selfless act in obedience to the biblical mandate of caring for creation (Psalm 24:1).
Scholars of ecological theology put forward that human actions, particularly towards the environment, are reflections of obedience to God’s will. Thus, our efforts on this day were a liturgical act – a community expression of gratitude and reverence for God’s creation. In some academic works, this could be termed forward-looking altruism: serving future generations and ecosystems in obedience to God’s command for stewardship (Genesis 2:15). This event was an opportunity for embodying Christian selflessness through which soiled hands reflected hearts aligned with Christ’s love to serve and build community. In this event, selflessness was reimagined through our school becoming a sanctuary of grace, growth, and shared purpose. Planting trees reimagined selflessness not as passive humility, but as active participation in the flourishing of others, even some not yet born. Our community thought beyond themselves as they engaged in creation care and worked together across year levels in relationships built in mutual respect and service. What an awesome way it was to live counterculturally in a self-centred age (Volf, 1996).
In a world in which individualism trumps community, the act of planting trees together offered a counter-narrative – one rooted in selflessness, stewardship, and collective flourishing. It was more than an environmental initiative; but rather a spiritual and communal act that mirrored biblical principles of service, humility, and love. Christian community is built on koinonia (Acts 2:42-47), where they shared resources, responsibilities and fellowship. Thus, this event served as a platform for shared purpose and unity. The latter understanding led Ritcher (2001) to note that – the church exists for others. Implicit in this notion is the idea that acts of service within communities embody the very essence of discipleship and the cornerstone of Christian ethics – the virtue of Christ’s sacrificial love. The tree planting event was an opportunity to live this virtue and offered a vision for reimagining selflessness in contemporary education and Christ-centred contexts like our School.
Living for others fosters resilience, empathy, and a sense of belonging – qualities critical for healthy school communities. Tree planting therefore became a metaphor for sowing seeds of unity, hope, and responsibility. With each tree planted being a symbol of shared commitment to future generations. Rooted in biblical thought, this activity reimagined selflessness as both immediate and intergenerational service, inspiring us all to live in harmony with creation and one another for God’s glory.
Lifeas Kapofu - Principal
