There was once an old farmer who hired a young boy to help him on his farm. His job was quite simply, to sort potatoes. The farmer asked for three piles: small, medium, and large. Small, medium, and large. Small, medium, and large. After about two hours, the young boy came back to the farmer and announced: “I quit!” His brow was wet with perspiration, and he was very flustered. The farmer asked: “Is the work too hard?” “No,” answered the boy, “But the decisions are killing me!”
One of the most important decisions we ever make in our life is to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. Jesus gives the invitation – not to a group but to the individuals who followed him and to us: “Take up your cross and follow me.” He calls us personally and by name. He knows us personally – every hair of our head is numbered. He knows every one of our strengths as well as weaknesses. And no matter how unworthy we may feel he wants us to be who we are – but in a new, transformed, and powerful way to be his presence to others.
Sometimes Jesus referred to the life of a disciple as one of being a good steward. Remember the parables where Jesus used the imagery – the person whom the owner of the household turns over responsibility for caring for the property, managing affairs, making resources yield as much as possible, and sharing the resources with others. The position of being a steward requires trust and responsibility. The parable of the man who left his wealth with the three servants is a good example. Two invested wisely their investments, while the third squandered his resources.
Everything we own, everything we have – temporal and spiritual – is a gift from God. Our faith, our greatest gift, our talents, our family, our relationships, - are all gifts from a loving God. Each of us has received a unique mix of talents and gifts. But all of us are charged to use them wisely. The Master expects them to be used for others.
But there is something wonderfully blessed about being a good steward for the Kingdom. For there is a very strange kind of arithmetic. Giving up means receiving more. As Jesus says: “There is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters…for my sake and for the sake of the gospel who will not receive a hundred times more…” Giving means receiving more, including more responsibility as stewards.
God has blessed us with a wonderful faith community here at St. Theodore’s. It has been a tremendous witness to the Gospel in Gates for one hundred years. But we still have much to do to continue to offer the Gospel in the years ahead.
God bless! Have a wonderful week!