Lately, I have been discovering stewardship in my daily life. But first, I have to tell you, I hate (and I say ‘hate’ fully knowing that Christians frown on the word ‘hate’) — I hate the word ‘stewardship’. The word ‘stewardship’ is supposed to mean ‘personal responsibility for something you don’t own’. However, my only exposure to this word is when churches want money and make the request with a dose of guilt. That’s the ‘Stewardship Drive’. We all know it. Am I right?
I attend a lot of churches in my quest to worship with other Christians. And I could be at the hippest, most edgy church service, with a rock band and candle light, interpretive dance, the creation of an oil painting of Jesus during the message, denim pants and t-shirts, grunge and Sobe; and still they toss in the word ‘stewardship’ within all this cool street vernacular…like people won’t notice it and stiffen their backs at the utterance. Because in church, that word means: “we need your money, and you’re a lousy Christian if you don’t give 10% of your annual income”. When I hear that word it makes me feel like my church’s only agenda is to get my money…not help me in my relationship with God… and not like I’m a connected part of a whole body of believers.
It makes me feel like this even though I know it’s not true. Here’s what I know is true: I know that God cares. He cares about me and He cares about the people who manage His church. I know it takes money to run the church. And I know that church leaders are not the bad-guy-money-mongers that the old stodgy term ‘stewardship’ lays on them. I know that church leaders are caring, loving, deep, intelligent, thoughtful people. And mostly I know I need them. I know that they are a part of me. I know that we are all a part of the same body.
The other day I prayed that I be shown more ways in which my husband and I could be more responsible for all that God has given us: our faith, our church, our marriage, our kids, their education, our home, our finances, our jobs, and our gifts…it’s all God’s. About the same time I was just getting into Solomon’s story (1 Kings) and I couldn’t help but notice how organized he was with all his resources. He set up his kingdom in a way that all the workers provided for each other as well as for Solomon. He formed alliances with surrounding kingdoms in order to make the temple and the palace using their resources in trade for his. His plans in building the temple were so well thought out and particularly detailed. I can tell he didn’t just waive a hand and expect the work to be done…he was a very involved mastermind and leader. It seems like he left no detail unattended. I thought, “Wow, what a great lesson in responsibility. Solomon is a great example because he was given so much wealth, and so much wisdom, and so much everything, and yet he carefully kept track of every last detail; and put all of it to good use...no waste.”
My husband, Bryan, after recovering from seeing the power bill, got a meter that measures exactly how much energy is used by each appliance in order that he better understand why the bill is so high. He quietly went about the house carefully plugging in every appliance, doing calculations, then declaring how much could be saved each month if we were more responsible with our usage. For example, unplugging the TV when it’s not being watched would save $15 per month. We immediately began turning off all unnecessary lights, unplugging all un-used appliances, taking out all those plug-in air fresheners (hey, $5 per month for each!), and we just got, well, smarter about prudently using our abundant energy. It may sound like Bryan’s a miser to you, but to me, I know that God is showing us small and subtle ways to be more responsible with what we don’t own…better stewards of His wealth. We have started to make all our choices through a filter of being more responsible and resourceful with everything.
Andy Stanley was telling his congregation to read Nehemiah because someday they might meet him— hopefully — and they wouldn’t want to be caught looking like fools for not knowing who Nehemiah was, and what great things he did. At hearing this it occurred to me that years ago when I first read about Solomon, it was so painfully boring: page after page of boring details about the size of the temple, the amount of gold used, the number of stones in the foundation, ad nausea. Everything about the kingdom and how it worked is spelled-out in 1 Kings in painstaking detail.
Contrast this with my current reading of the same book. Now, I read it and am amazed at Solomon’s care and attention, and keeping track of things. He is so SICK! - Which means SUPER COOL. I can’t wait to meet him because he is reaching into the future and helping in the here-and-now with one of my greatest weaknesses: stewardship (ICK). I feel like God is re-introducing me to the greatest teacher for my greatest need, and in the process is showing me small detailed ways in which to become more responsible for the kingdom he has entrusted to Bryan and me. And the best thing of all is that the prayer was answered so immediately and so subtly.
Typically THAT'S something I would not have kept track of. :)
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