Time, talent and treasure

PHOTOS.COM

As a progressive, I believe there are many names for God and many ways to God – this article reflects one way. Take from here what works for you and celebrate life with blessings and peace!

Well, here we are. It’s that time of year again. Summer is definitely over. We’ve had the Full Harvest Moon – and in many organizations and places of worship it’s time for the annual pledge campaign! Hallelujah!

Maybe you don’t share the same excitement as me? I’d like to ask you a few questions:

How and when did “stewardship”, for so many, become a four-letter word?

Why do some people think, “All the church ever talks about is money!”? Really? That’s all we ever talk about?

It’s too bad that stewardship is seen by many as a negative word. How did that happen? Well, I’m sure there are many reasons, but a big reason might be the “unfortunate idea” that stewardship is often seen as an intrusion – as an invasion of privacy.

For one thing, most people equate stewardship exclusively with money. Yes, stewardship has a lot to do with our money – with our treasure – but in reality, it has to do with so much more than our money.

You’ve heard the phrase “Time, Talent and Treasure” before – and how stewardship has to do with all of those equally. But it has to do with even more than that! Stewardship has to do with everything I do: how I relate to the world, how I relate to others, and how I live.

What I’d like you to take away is that stewardship is about relationship. It’s a relationship word. Stewardship has to do with how I live in relationship with things – more specifically, MY things, with other people, and with the earth.

Whether we like it or not, we are all stewards. It’s not a matter of whether or not we are stewards – it’s a matter of what kind of stewards are we? And stewardship begins with our most sacred things – and for many people, that’s our treasure – our money.

Theologian J. Holub says a profound thing about his attitude about money. Listen to this, and I quote:

“I came up with this analogy. My relationship to my financial resources is often a lot like my relationship to my underwear! First, it’s an intimate relationship, and second, I don’t want you to see it, touch it or know anything about it. It’s none of your … business!”

Oh my! So, if there’s any truth to this analogy, it’s no surprise when the pastor gets up to talk about stewardship, or the letter comes in the mail or a member of the stewardship team makes an announcement – we might experience it as an intrusion – a violation of our privacy.

Well, it didn’t stop Jesus! He must’ve seen things differently. Jesus talked a lot about money and possessions. For Jesus, stewardship wasn’t a private matter – it was a community matter – because it was about relationship.

Maybe we don’t see it that way, but Jesus did. Theologian Holub says, “Jesus made it his business to talk about money openly. Almost 25 percent of the Sermon on the Mount is about money and possessions and our relationship to them. In fact, over 100 times in the four Gospels, Jesus engaged in some level of discourse about our relationship to money and possessions and how it affects others. Many of his greatest parables were about our relationship to money and possessions including the Parable of the Talents, the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, the Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard and the Parable of the Rich Fool – all of which deal with various aspects of relationship to money and possessions.”

I like our reading in Luke 19. It’s a great story of Jesus and Zacchaeus. When I was in Sunday School we used to sing this little song: “Zacchaeus was a wee little man, a wee little man was he, he climbed up in a sycamore tree for the Lord he wanted to see …”

Speaking of underwear, there was no one closer to his money than Zacchaeus! Luke tells us he was the “chief tax collector, and he was rich.”

At the time of Jesus, the local IRS was filled with corruption and exploitation. It hadn’t always been that way, but it had become that way. The governors of the Roman provinces were responsible to make sure the taxes were gathered for the Roman treasury. So they hired indigenous, local tax collectors to do the actual work of collecting the taxes. Illegal extra charges were added on and violence was often used to bring about “compliance.”

As the chief tax collector, Zacchaeus received pay-offs from the lowliest tax collectors on up the line. Obviously, this didn’t make him too popular in the public opinion polls. Drama! Hmmm, if they were ever to make a movie of the story of Zacchaeus, Danny DeVito would be the perfect actor to play the role!

So, it’s no surprise that the people grumbled when Jesus invited himself to Zacchaeus’ house. Scandalous! Jesus went to dine with a “sinner”, and not just any “sinner”, but one who collaborated with the despised Roman oppressors in the worst way!

Now, if we’re going to fully understand the power of this story, it’s important that we understand something about sitting around a table together. In Judaism, table fellowship meant deep camaraderie, and that everyone sitting around the table, breaking bread and sharing a meal meant they all had an equal share of the blessing of the host.

Jesus’ self-invitation was much more than, “Let’s go to Starbucks for a coffee.” Table fellowship showed unity, forgiveness and acceptance.

Zacchaeus knew this was huge – and how did he respond? “Lord, half of my possession I will give to the poor. I will pay back those I defrauded four times as much.” Nothing in this story hints that Jesus asked or ordered or threatened him, but rather, it was a joyful response to the love and grace that Jesus showed him!

Then I like what Jesus has to say, “Today salvation has come to this house.” Now, the word “salvation” (soteria) has the meaning, “to be made whole.” Zaccheaus’ encounter with the abundant grace of Jesus changed him – it made him whole. Transformed. Generous.

How are we going to respond to being invited to dine at the table with Jesus? What is our response? I pray you don’t see it as an intrusion, but, rather, as an opportunity to be stewards of God’s grace. Amen.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *