random thoughts about stewardship

You know what time it is? It's stewardship season at the church. The time of year when we preachers reluctantly climb into the pulpit and inspire the faithful to re-up their pledge for another year. I admit through the years as a lay person, I sat through many an appeal for money and responded sometimes with irritation, sometimes with guilt, often with duty.

There are many excuses we can make not to give to the church. I have too much debt. I already gave. I lost my pledge card. I have a family to raise. I've used them all myself. But at the end of the day, I remember Jesus gave no excuses for going to the cross. He did not hold out on me. He gave up his life for me. Why would I respond to him with an excuse? In this season of my life and faith, I can say I am now responding with gratitude. This year, I am preaching with joy about money, and giving with the same spirit.

Easy for me to say. I BELIEVE. I think at the root of poor stewardship, may be unbelief. At the core of abundant stewardship is belief. I mean the kind of belief that changes your life and your thoughts and your will and your priorities, in gratitude for what Jesus did for us. If people don't believe it, or understand it - how can giving to the Lord mean anything? And if they do not hear it, how can they come to believe? And if they don't believe how can they follow Jesus, and be changed? Classic Paul in Romans 10, who also asks, and who will preach it?

Perhaps we should do a better job as preachers and believers helping people get to know our generous God, and inviting them by faith into a relationship with Him through Jesus. To understand the risk involved in disobedience, but the grace that God offers so freely. God's entire enterprise has always been about stewardship of grace and provision as well as truth and discipline. And God's essential character is generous.

Stewardship then is an attitude of the heart and will and character molded around God's heart and will and character, that becomes a lifestyle, not just an annual campaign. For you preachers out there, preach the love and hope of Christ all year round! Offer an invitation to your flock to receive Jesus all year round. Pray for the Holy Spirit to have His way with God's Word and the hearts of the people all year round.

And turn our stewardship campaigns into celebrations of faith and gratitude and generosity.