Pastor's Pen - November 2005

Dear Friends in Christ,

 

November has become traditionally a month in which people take the  opportunity to think about others and their needs. This is often the month  following the harvest when churches have drives for local food shelves as well  as encouraging generous gifts to national hunger appeals. It is a time in which  congregations traditionally have conducted stewardship campaigns complete with  commitment cards regarding expected giving in the coming year. Though each of  these emphases has its own merit, they point out a fallacy regarding the  stewardship to which we are faithfully called as children of God.

 

To be a steward on God's behalf is not something that can be relegated to  only one month out of the year as if it has all been taken care of and now can  be put out of mind. As God is interested in all that has been intrusted to us  and how we wisely use it, so God is interested in every month and every day of  our lives and how we use them for the sake of God's kingdom. It is not enough to  consider the hungry and the homeless in the month of Thanksgiving. It is not  enough to consider what we give and/or plan to give through the Church for the  sake of the Gospel. God encourages us to see the world with the eyes of Christ  and to recognize the needs and opportunities for witness and service that  present themselves to us in each and every day. God is as interested in the  resources that we keep for our own use as those that we share with others.

 

As stewards, God has entrusted to us the whole of creation. God has given us  all that we need for life in this world. Gifts that are intended to be shared  with all of God's people and not to be hoarded by any one person or nation. God  calls upon us as to be as generous with the world and those whom we meet as God  has been with us in the gift of salvation shared in the Savior, Jesus the  Christ. We trust that God will give us our daily bread as we help others to know  that same gift for their lives. No where does the voice of Jesus or the message  of the Bible encourage us to take care of ourselves first. Again and again in  the life and witness of our Savior are the words and examples that encourage us  to be lavish in our care and consideration of the other who is in need.

 

November can be a good time to remember the life to which we have been called  throughout the year, the life of a steward charged with caring for all of God's  creation.