The "Why" Is More Important than the "What": Thoughts on Stewardship

I can't tell you the "what" part of stewardship - what to give or how much - but I can tell you the "why" part.

When I was a child, I was very territorial. I wrote my name on all my books and taped it on all my toys. I didn't even want people to step off the sidewalk onto the grass of my yard. At school, I didn't like to share my pencils or crayons. Everything I had was mine, and mine alone. I was very secure and certain in my selfishness.

As an adult, I learned about stewardship. In my head, I knew the definition of a steward: a person put in charge of the affairs of a large household or estate; one who acts as a supervisor or administrator of finances or properties for another who has more authority and power. But I was none of the above - or so I thought - until I started keeping chickens.

I keep chickens for their eggs. I'm very fond of them (both eggs and chickens), and I enjoy watching them forage, pecking and scratching. Several years ago my most beautiful hen got sick. The first thing I did was call the vet. The first thing the vet said was, "We don't treat chickens." I went to Plan B - the internet. I tried various concoctions and remedies, to no avail. This all took place over two weeks. I also prayed that God would heal the hen, or else give me a plan of action. Well, that didn't work either.

It seemed like the more I tried, the worse she got. The worse she got, the more frustrated I got. This went on for days. One afternoon, I went out to the coop to check on her, and it was just pitiful. She had stopped eating; she sat listless, bedraggled, with head bowed and eyes shut. And there was nothing I could do about it.

As I walked back to the house, I was so angry and frustrated that I yelled at God. "Come on, God! You can heal this hen - why won't you?"

Out of the blue, I heard a voice. "IS SHE NOT MINE?"

Well, that stopped me. "Yes, Lord, she is. Everything is yours."

In the midst of a whole slew of emotions, I felt relieved that he claimed ownership of the hen. Her fate was in his hands; he was in control.

I also felt naked - completely exposed and transparent. Obviously, the Lord heard my words, but he also knew all my thoughts and everything I did. Nothing is hidden from the Lord. He knows it all - our fears, our weaknesses, our struggles, and our sins.

I looked at my house and my land with a new perspective. If the Lord owned the hen, which I thought was mine, then he owned everything else. God had given the house and land to me, but they were not really mine. That was the moment I realized what it means to be a steward - I was a steward. He had given me all the good things in life. I was to take care of them, but I didn't really own them.

This is easy to see if we think about childhood. The books and toys I thought I owned as a child were given to me by my parents. I enjoyed them; I valued them, but they were never really mine.

In like manner, we are all children of God - without the Lord we would not even exist. His gifts to us are far greater than books and toys. He gave us life, and at the beginning, Paradise, a perfect world to live in. Then came the Fall of Man, when death and sin entered into the world. To help us, he gave us the law though Moses, so we would know how to live. Then he gave his only son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who was crucified to redeem us and to reopen Paradise. He has given us our families and our individual talents and abilities. He has given us everything. And this is the "why."

The best and truest response to all these gifts is the spirit of thanksgiving and the spirit of praise - even in times of adversity. Our treasure, our time on earth, and our talents have been given to us by a generous and loving Father. What we do with them is so very important, because it is living proof of our faith and our thankful hearts.

King David said it best in I Chronicles 29. This is the time of preparation for the building of the Temple, and he has assembled all Israel before him. He tells them of the massive amounts of gold, silver, brass, iron, wood, and precious stones he has given, and then he asks the princes of his people, " . . . who then is willing to consecrate his service this day unto the Lord?"

And that is really the question for all of us.

The people answered by offering their immense riches willingly: " . . . with perfect heart they offered willingly unto the Lord." KJV

This was David's response (KJV): 10. . . Blessed be thou, Lord God of Israel our father, for ever and ever.

11 Thine, O Lord is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all.

12 Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all.

13 Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name.

14 But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willngly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee.

That is the offertory sentence we know so well: All things come of thee, O Lord, and of thine own have we given Thee. I first heard it as a child, before I understood it, but now I know it is true.

So, let us give our time, our treasure, and our talents out of generous and overflowing hearts - with perfect hearts. Let us consecrate our service this day unto the Lord - as did David and his people; as did all the men and women of St. Peter's who have come before us.

And now to him be all thanks and honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

(A talk on Stewardship, given November 6, 2022, at St. Peter's Episcopal Church, Brenham, Texas)