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Celebrate God’s Gifts
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2 November 2008 It is about five o’clock, and the streets near Times Square are packed. Two friends are walking through the hubub...car horns honking, taxis squealing around corners, sirens wailing. The normal sounds of a city that not only never sleeps, but goes into hyperdrive as the workday comes to an end. Suddenly, Anne stops. “What an amazing place to hear a cricket.” Libby looks at her...”Are you crazy?! You can’t possibly hear a cricket in all of this noise!” And Anne persists, “No. I’m sure I heard it. I heard a cricket.” Anne listens carefully for a moment, then walks across the sidewalk to a big planter in front of the hotel entrance. She looks into the shrub, pushing some of the branches back. Sure enough, she finds a small black cricket. Libby just stares at her. “Your hearing is amazing! You must be off the scale.” “Not really. My hearing isn’t any better than yours. It just depends on what you’re listening for.” “Right. Like I’m going to hear a cricket in all this noise.” Anne doesn’t argue. She simply reaches into her pocket and pulls out a few coins, then drops them on the sidewalk. Every head within twenty feet turns to see if the money clinking on the pavement is theirs...or could be. “See?” says Anne. “It all depends on what’s important to you.”[1] Today we have heard one of the gospel stories that lifts up a dichotomy between the disciples and the Pharisees. This is an important distinction, because the dichotomy isn’t between Jesus’ teachings and the teachings of the Pharisees. The Pharisees are good teachers. Jesus underscores this–“do whatever they teach you and follow it.” But for Jesus, the Pharisees are the classic example of “do as I say, not as I do.” Jesus challenges his disciples to get inside the teachings...to let the essence of these teachings inform their minds and provide the foundation for what they believe. But more than that, Jesus challenges his disciples to let the teachings shape their behavior. This is Stewardship Sunday, the Sunday we gather our pledges for the coming year and celebrate God’s abundant gifts. It’s also the Sunday we focus specifically on the ways in which we let the teachings of our faith shape our behavior, on what’s important to us in the particular area of our personal finances. And this is where most of us start to squirm, because talking about personal finances, even within the broad context of stewardship, is something we are trained to avoid. It’s right up there with not talking about religion or politics. But Jesus talks about faith and money repeatedly, reminding his followers to stay centered on God, and not be mesmerized by the latest ads, the most enticing sales,...even 0% financing. We don’t need PhD’s in Psychology to recognize that, especially in this period of growing economic hardship, our priorities become even clearer as many of us are forced to strip away the chaff from the wheat. And it is here that Jesus and the Pharisees appear to part ways. The Pharisees are characterized as placing heavy burdens on the shoulders of others when they are unwilling to lift a finger to move them. What was true then is true now: no church, no group within the church has the right to demand a level of giving that abuses God’s people. No church. This is not in any way about giving beyond our means. But it is about the choices we make. Years ago, the comedian Flip Wilson described himself as a Jehovah’s bystander. He was asked to be a Jehovah’s Witness, but he didn’t want to get that involved. Our choices have to do with whether we serve God more fully by drinking our daily latte at Starbucks, or whether we serve God more fully in giving proportionally to support the mission and ministry of this church. Proportional giving is making the choice as to what percentage, or proportion, of our personal finances we are setting aside and giving to God's service. That's not a choice I can make for you. It involves questions I can't answer for you. We each have to work that out for ourselves as God leads. How we live, the ways we choose to use and care for the gifts God provides, matters.[2] That, my friends, is the essence of stewardship. For all you do, for all you share, for all you give, thank you. And thanks be to God![3] *** [1] Adapted from Keenan Kelsey, Making Choices, www.esermons.com 10/13/2008, and Bev Lewis, 23PentA08 Matthew 22.15-22. [2] Bev Lewis, 23PentA08 Matthew 22.15-22 [3] Bev Lewis, 23PentB03/26PentA02 Stewardship Josh 24.1-3a, 14-25; Matt 25.14-30 |