Stewardship

Stewardship Is Who We Are, Not What We Do

In times past, if I were reading a book and the author quoted a long Scripture passage, I frequently skipped over it. It seemed only reasonable because I had read it before and if you tell me what the story is about, I already know it. Then one Sunday, God taught me differently. As he began his sermon, the pastor indicated that he was using a long passage for his text. Since time was short and he had a lot to say, he announced that he was not going to read the entire text.

It struck me that the pastor thought his words were more important for me to hear than God’s Word. It seemed arrogant to think he had more to say on the subject than God. Then I realized that I was doing the same thing when I skipped Bible passages in my reading. I have since changed my ways.

Then reason I relate this experience is because my article this week has a long quote from the Bible. I want you to read the entire text because it is the real point.

Good stewardship begins with who we are, but most of our stewardship teaching has focused on what we do. I plead guilty. I spend a great deal of time showing people how to. . . budget their money, get out of debt, clean up their credit, give to their church. . . the list is endless. In doing so, I have discovered that "how to’s" do not change lives. Stewardship is more concerned with who we are than what we do.

Stewardship is the result of a relationship. A good steward is the person who lives in the proper relationship with the owner. The foundational truth of stewardship is that God owns everything. The Psalmist declared, "The earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains" (Psalm 24:1). There is no doubt, in spite of our frequent actions, that we do not own anything. It all belongs to God.

Disrespect - A New Political Strategy

Last week, during the public posing and political posturing of parents being encouraged to keep junior home from school because the President was going to speak, I made a statement that elicited some friendly discussion. I wondered about the loss of respect for the President in this country. The debate continued for a couple of days on my Facebook page, and all of us had the opportunity to make our case clearly. I was satisfied and ready to leave the subject.

My original point was that it seemed disrespectful to refuse to allow our children to listen to the President. I thought about all the Presidents I could remember from my past. I recall that whenever the President spoke, it was always a big deal. Our family would stop down whatever we were doing and listen.

Political debate was never an issue in our house until I got old enough to argue about the legitimacy of the Vietnam War. I can vaguely remember my parents expressing concern about President Kennedy being Catholic and the fear that he would be open to orders from the Vatican. However, that did not happen and reports of his lifestyle indicate that he was not a very good Catholic. We were still taught to respect the man and I can clearly recollect the genuine grief felt by everyone on the day he was killed.

My politically formative years were dominated by the Presidency of Richard Nixon. Those who start their list of worst Presidents with either Bush or Obama have quickly forgotten about Nixon. He left office with the claim, "I am not a crook!" My dislike came from having to say goodbye to many of my high school friends who were marched off to Vietnam under Nixon’s command. Some of them did not come back, giving their lives for a war we never understood. However, if Nixon would have addressed the schools, every one of us would have listened with no thought of boycott.

We see and hear the President speak much more frequently today, so when he makes a speech it is not such a big deal. I will not change my schedule to hear what he has to say since I can listen to it later at a more convenient time. But, keeping children home from school lest they hear the man is nothing but disrespect. This new disrespect goes far beyond boycotting a speech and is seen in the way people talk and the attitudes expressed about the President. What happened to our admiration for our President?

The Forty-Eight Dollar Band-aid

The healthcare system in this country has some problems that need to be fixed. I don’t think it needs a complete overhaul, but it does require more than just a few tweaks. For example, I visited the doctor recently with an infected sore (it was not a pretty sight). While reading the itemized bill, I noticed they charged me for the band-aid and for putting it on. The strip of plastic cost $48 and the labor for putting it on cost $18.

This was not some type of specialized band-aid developed for rapid healing. This was the same kind of band-aid I was wearing when I went to the doctor, the kind you can buy at the Wal-Mart for $5 a box. The skill of putting it on did not require special medical training. There was not even any topical ointment.

I don’t know why it costs so much to slap on a band-aid. Perhaps they noticed on my insurance card that I had good coverage so they went for it. What my card says is that my co-pay is zero, but it does not reveal that I have $1,000 deductible. In other words, I will be paying for the band-aid.

I do have good health insurance, but it is expensive, even with the high deductible. Not everyone can afford expensive insurance. In fact, 47 million Americans do not have any kind of health insurance and are at the mercy of public medicine and the fortune of good health. Although I would rather not pay $48 for a band-aid, I will survive. It is those folks without any health coverage who need help.

Not only am I aware of the need for a change, the government is also on top of things and a bill has already been introduced in the Senate. It has been the subject of a massive amount of debate, on radio, television, print, and the Internet, as well as conversations at the coffee shop. Several have even asked me specifically for my opinion on the subject (if you have really good insurance, that attitude might be covered as an illness). So, I decided to wade into the health care waters and offer my perspective.