The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings, but shorter tempers; wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less; we buy more, but enjoy it less. We have bigger houses and smaller families; more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees, but less sense; more knowledge, but less judgment. More experts, but more problems; more medicine, but less wellness. We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often. We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life, not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbor. We've conquered outer space, but not inner space. We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've split the atom, but not our prejudice. We have higher incomes, but lower morals. We've become long on quantity, but short on quality. These are the times of tall persons, and short characters; steep profits, and shallow relationships. These are the times of more leisure, but less fun; more kinds of food, but less nutrition. These are days of two incomes, but more divorce; of fancier houses, but broken homes. It is a time when there is much in the show window and nothing in the stockroom. (http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/paradox.asp)

The piece I just read and today’s New Testament Lesson both relate to stewardship. We are called to give as much as we can. Some can give more than others. But before minds get closed for fear of an assault on wallets and checkbooks, listen up. Money is only one component of which we are to be stewards. Hopefully a person’s entire life is not wrapped in the amount of money one possesses or earns. If so, there is a greater problem than irresponsible stewardship. This passage is concerned with the laxness of Christians and especially Christian leaders.

Peter, often seen as the spokesman for the twelve disciples, posed a question after hearing two parables containing promises of blessings as well as warnings against laxity. He wanted to know if the preceding teachings applied to just the twelve or to others as well. In the early Christian community, the problem of the misuse of leadership must have arisen. Power tends to corrupt, and especially so in religious circles where its use can be sanctified in the name of God. Modern examples abound; we regularly hear of high-profile religious leaders who have fallen off their pious pedestals.

Jesus responded to Peter’s question with a question; the answer to Peter’s question of to whom the previous parables were addressed was twofold: on the first plane, they were addressed to the twelve, but also to others who would occupy responsible places.

Jesus tells about the faithful and wise steward. In that society, a steward had almost unlimited power; himself a slave, he still had control of the other slaves. A wise steward used his master’s belongings as if they were his own. The faithful and wise steward used the goods entrusted to him according to his master’s wishes, to care for and sustain those for whom he was responsible. A trusted steward ran his master’s house for him and administered his estate. The good steward was to live like the Master was returning the next day. He was to continue the hard work today as if there was no tomorrow, living every day like it was the last one on earth.

Bringing it a little closer to home, for long intervals we have no physical contact with the one to whom we are responsible. It is as if Christ is in a distant country; we know that he will return, and we think it is soon. But soon is a relative term. The early believers also thought that Christ would return soon; time is relative. For some, soon is a matter of minutes; in relation to the existence of the earth, soon certainly could be two millennia. Our business is to live as we should live, even without the physical presence of Jesus, for in reality, our Master is never away. We are to be active, not reactive in the sense of performing deeds with the wrong motivation. Instead, our behavior should be in response to the love that Christ has for us, not for fear of what Jesus will do to us when he returns. "Blessed is the servant whom his/her master, when he returns, shall find so doing."

On the contrary, Jesus also referenced another steward, one who was unfaithful and foolish. Lulled into false security by the delay in his master’s return, the steward could abuse his position. Another option for the steward was not to take seriously the call of responsibility from the Master. The irresponsible steward could be reckless and abusive with the resources at his disposal. If that was the case, then the Master would not be happy. There is a reason that supervision of employees is not scheduled; if so, then employees would always be fulfilling their duty at the appropriate times. Random drug testing among professional athletes follows the same rationale. Supervisors check on employees at unexpected times to see a true picture of the situation. The unfaithful steward is punished; his body is cut into pieces, a severe ancient form of execution. Yikes!

Laxness leads to irresponsibility; as Christians we are to be responsible with what God has given us. It is more disappointing to God if one knows what to do and doesn’t do it. Doing wrong is bad enough, but to do wrong when a person consciously knows better is doubly wrong. James said it this way, "Therefore to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin." (James 4:17) It is less disappointing to God for the unenlightened to err. We can claim ignorance is bliss, and there can be a degree of truth in that. But most of us are not ignorant to the ways of God; we simply sometimes choose not to do the right thing. James called that sin. We must be faithful in little things, simply because there are no little things.

Thus ends the parable of the stewards, except for the teachable statement in the second half of verse 48: "from everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded." You and I are to be stewards of everything, and as Christians, we are to give as much as we can.

We are to be faithful and wise stewards of our time. This is more than time management. Stewardship of time is not limited to finding time to do God’s work. Instead it is utilizing our time wisely in advancing God’s work. What we do for Christ is worth our time. While attendance in Sunday School and worship are necessary, they should also be a given. I am speaking of what is accomplished outside of these church walls. It is easy to give our time to come on Sundays; it can sometimes be another story when one is asked to visit someone who is ill, bereaved, or down-in-the-dumps. Stewardship of time could include assisting in our Soup Kitchen, contacting an inactive member, or chaperoning a youth event. Mostly the stewardship of time has to do with how we spend our time aside from Sunday morning. Regarding our time, let’s give as much as we can.

The parable also concerns the stewardship of power and influence. We have all been given power. Some exercise it in business, others in civic affairs, still others in church, and all of us should have power and influence in family relationships. Peter asked Jesus about his previous teachings because of the power issue. Our question regarding the stewardship of power is not if we will use the power, but if we will use the power for good. Power and influence are value neutral; they are neither good nor bad by themselves. Power and influence can be used for bad, but also for good purposes.

Some have power because of your positions. Others have influence because of whom you know and what you have accomplished in the past. Individuals control how they will utilize their power and influence. Personal integrity and responsibility are essential in exercising power for good. Controlling one’s emotions is a means of power; a loss of self-control, in essence, produces an unfaithful steward of the power entrusted to them. Regarding our power and influence, let’s give as much as we can.

We are also to be stewards of our education and experience. Some of us are fortunate that we have received formal education in fine institutions of higher learning. Many have bachelors’ degrees; others have their masters; a few have doctoral degrees. For those of us who have enjoyed these privileges, we are called to live responsibly with the knowledge we have gained. Others have been trained in a skill or trade. You have taken courses, apprenticeships, seminars, and other training to prepare you for excellence in your field. You too are called to be a good steward of your learning.

All of us have been educated by the great teacher called Experience. Through hard work and hard knocks we have learned how to work with people, how to fix things, and how to make things. Tragic experiences have prepared individuals to understand the complexities of life. We are to be good stewards, even of these experiences.

Not everyone has been fortunate enough to have formal education. Not everyone has experienced what we as individuals have encountered. What you and I have learned, wherever we have learned it, can help someone. What you and I have learned, wherever we have learned it, can benefit the Kingdom of God. As such, we should be good stewards of what we have learned, whether in school, in business, in relationships, or at the yard or field, namely shipyard and Langley Field. Regarding what we have learned, we should give as much as we can.

All of us have also been bestowed God-given gifts and talents. For a person who cannot match his ties to his suits, I am amazed at the gifts of artistry in whatever form. Some of you have been blessed with culinary gifts, or as is said back in Georgia, "You can cook up a storm!" Others are gifted musically, athletically, or academically. Other gifts include the gift of encouragement, the gift of reason, and the gift of insight. While the Master is away, we are called to be good stewards of what we have been given. Regarding our gifts and talents, we should give as much as we can.

Others have such winsome personalities that you could sell ice-water in an Alaskan winter. Some are blessed with such charisma that the room lights up when you enter. Your natural gregarious nature is attractive. Your smile is contagious. Everyone loves to be around you. If you fit that category, I’d like to encourage you to reflect on how you can use that gift for the Kingdom of God and how you can be a good steward. If you are that personable, I encourage you to give as much as you can.

We all have families. I am fortunate to have my family, as in my wife and children, but also my family of origin, as in my parents and siblings, and also strong ties to my extended family. As parents and spouses, we are to be good stewards of family life. If God has gifted us with children and spouses, we should celebrate and act responsibly. Taking our families for granted benefits no one. Today is as a vapor; it will quickly be gone. Our window of opportunity with our children is a relatively small amount of time, considering the average life-span today. Our relationship with our spouse is meant to last the rest of our lives. Both relationships deserve ample time. And with extended family, we all have a role. Sometimes, in determining our role, we may have to take some time for reflection, but it is time well-spent. We are to be good stewards of our familial relationships. God intentionally created the family concept. And as good stewards, we should give as much as we can.

Finally, we are to be wise and faithful stewards of our resources. God has blessed us financially. Many have been blessed financially because of hard work, some because of timely investments, others because of luck and varied factors. God has allowed us to be stewards of financial wealth. What we do with our money speaks volumes of our character and values. If we handle our resources responsibly, we are considered faithful and wise stewards.

All of us know that as Christians, our supreme allegiance should be to God; that is a given. The most difficult stewardship question regards our money. We can easily use our time, power, influence, education, experience, gifts, talents, personalities, and even family life for the Kingdom of God, and we can do so unselfishly. We can easily answer yes to the question "Are we giving as much as we can?" when it comes to those variables. But the answer is more difficult to that question when we are referencing our money.

Giving as much as we can requires that we examine that last phrase "as much as we can." We all have limits; recognizing our limits takes time. We have to inventory what is available and then apportion our resources accordingly. In relating to the resources of time, power, influence, education, experience, gifts, talents, personalities, family life and money, let’s ask these questions, "How much of that resource is self-serving? How selfish are we with ____________?" "Are we using our resources for the Kingdom of God? If so, how? If not, why?"

Giving as much as we can may require that you and I reorder our priorities. Maybe God is not being given preference in the areas I have mentioned. If not, there is no better time to realign those priorities than today.

We have all been called to be faithful and wise stewards of what God has given us and entrusted to us. In response to the great love given to us, let’s give as much as we can.