“Steward Mindset” (Job 1:13-22)

No Holding Back

One of the books that I read over and over again is Missy Buchanan’s poetry book Living with Purpose in a Worn-Out Body. The following is one of the poems titled, “No Holding Back”[1]:

I have brand-new clothes I’m saving for a rainy day.

In fact, I’ve been saving them for years.

Underwear and pajamas still sealed in plastic wrap.

Shirts with price tags hanging from the sleeves.

Some were gifts; others were bargains.

All are waiting for a special-enough kind of day.

O Lord, why do I act this way?

Perhaps it is how I was raised.

To work hard and save.

Certainly you want us to be good stewards, but now I wonder.

Have I also held back my praise to you as if I might one day run out?

Have I cautiously doled it out in small portions?

Where did I get the idea that worship must always be restrained, quiet, and dignified?

Throughout my long life, you have showered me with blessing upon blessing.

Today I will not withhold the praise you deserve.

Awaken the passion that I’ve kept tucked away for a rainy day.

It’s all about you, Lord. Not me—but you.

Before I get out of this chair, I will lift my hands and say aloud the Lord’s Prayer.

Today I will consider what all those words mean.

I will sing a hymn of praise while I comb my hair and put on my socks.

I will not wait for another day. I will make a joyful noise!

Steward Mindset
I own nothing; Jesus owns everything. This steward mindset changes our perspectives from “how much can I keep” to “how much can I give away.”

In today’s passage a series of calamities come from nowhere when Job’s sons and daughters were gathering and eating in the oldest brother’s house. Some Bible commentators say that this was probably the beginning of the weekly cycle. This would be the day when Job had offered sacrifices to God.[2] It’s like right after you have uplifting Sunday service, you would hear all this devastating news at the church door. The first messenger came to Job and said, “Sabeans attacked and stole the animals and killed the field hands.” Another messenger arrived and said, “The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up your sheep.” Another messenger said, “The Chaldeans stole your camels and killed the servants.” Another messenger said, “Your sons and daughters were feasting in their oldest brother’s home. Suddenly, the house was collapsed by a powerful wind. And they all died.”

When Job heard this news, he said, “Naked I came… naked I will return. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away” (v. 21). Even in the most devastating time he recognized that all he had was given to him by God for a season.

Money comes and goes.

Health comes and goes.

People come and go.

Family comes and goes.

As stewards, we must realize we own nothing – we started with nothing and we end with nothing. What we do have today, we only have for a season - it is a gift from God. We should use it wisely for God’s kingdom.

Ownership Vs. Stewardship
Ownership is the act of possessing something. Stewardship is the activity of being responsible for something on behalf of others. For example, a steward is someone who looks after what belongs to someone else. Owners have rights, while stewards have responsibilities. God is the Owner; we are his stewards. All that we are and all that we have – money, health, family, talents, roles, time – is a gift from God to be used for the good of others, according to his purposes, for a season.

There are pros and cons for the UMC to have an itinerant system – pastors to go and serve wherever their bishops send them. One of the benefits is to practice “stewardship.” As a pastor serves one church for a long time, he or she tends to have ownership (This is “my” church). But as an itinerant pastor, I am keenly aware that the day will come. So I always ask myself, “What does it mean to be a “temporary” pastor? How can I use my time here wisely?” I mainly focus on three essentials. First, I want to be a pastor who prays – the pastor who tastes and sees that the Lord is good at first hand, the pastor who has learned well how to talk to God for people. Second, I want to be a pastor who preaches. I am given a protected time each week to do the ministry of the Word. This pulpit is a gift for a season, and I want to use it well. Third, I want to be a pastor who visits – the pastor who takes the time to listen and attend to God’s sheep. So now let me ask you. As God’s stewards, how can you develop a life of stewardship? How can you use your 3 T’s (Time, Treasure, and Talents) wisely?

Tithing and Stewardship
Tithing is a practical and biblical way to cultivate a stewardship mindset (cf. Lev 27:30; Luke 11:42). We define our priorities, values, and what we love through our giving. We often ask how much should we give to God. I think our spiritual ancestors probably had the same question. So God offered a minimum standard to measure their response: the tithe (Deut. 26:1-11). When Abe was young, he didn’t like milk. So I set a minimum standard for him – one cup a day for example. He ate those minimums. Now he is 12 years old, and he loves milk. He drinks like a fish. There is no need to set a minimum any longer.

The tithe is the same. It is like “training wheels” of giving. Once we know joy and blessing of generosity, we realize that tithing is a floor, not a ceiling. God calls us to grow beyond the tithe. But for some of us, it might be challenging to tithe right away. But I encourage you to take a step in that direction. You may give 2 percent or 5 percent. God will help you to become more and more generous. And for those of us who tithe already, I encourage you to consider not only tithing but also going beyond the tithe as much as you can for God’s kingdom work. The real issue is not whether we will give 10% or not, but what we will do with the entire 100%. Joyce and I tithe not because it is God’s requirement, but because we love God. Our tithes and offerings are an expression of gratitude and love. It is a tangible sign, “Lord, I love you. I own nothing. You own everything.” The steward mindset is a journey from “how much should I keep” to “how much should I give.”

In 1731 John Wesley resolved to limit his expenses so he would have more money to give to the poor. He records that one year his income was £30, and his living expenses £28, so he had £2 to give away. The next year, his income doubled, but he still lived on £28 and gave £32 away. In the third year, his income jumped to £90; again he lived on £28, giving £62 away. The fourth year, he made £120, lived again on £28, and gave £92 to the poor. One day somebody came running up to John Wesley and said, "Your house just burned down!" Wesley replied, “I don’t have a house. I manage a house for the Lord, His house just burned down. Since I’m His son, and He wants me covered, I guess He’ll find me another place to live." That is a steward mindset.

A Time of lament
Today we live in a time of lament. War, violence, polarization, and as Methodists, we are in a season of disaffiliation. Many of us feel burned out, overwhelmed, anxious, wary, and lost. We don’t even know how to respond and where to turn. In this season of lament I believe Job and his steward mindset can be a shining example for us to follow.

When Job was pressed on every side by troubles, his response was stunning. He stood up, tore his robe, shaved his head (outward expressions of lament), then fell to the ground to worship. In the deepest and darkest valley he knew who God is (“owner”) and who he is (“steward”). As God’s steward, he was able to say, “I came with nothing, and I will return with nothing. God gives, God takes. Blessed be the name of the Lord!” (v. 21)

In these turbulent times what we need is lament in the context of worship. What we need today is a steward mindset. We need to stay present in our grief and distress. We need to keep showing up to do the work of lament together. We need to keep building up God’s church and caring for God’s people as his steward. This too shall pass, and in the meantime, as Wesley encouraged, let us “do all the good we can, by all the means we can, in all the ways we can, in all the places we can, at all the times we can, to all the people we can, as long as ever we can.” Amen.

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[1] Missy Buchanan, Living with Purpose in a Worn–Out Body (p. 13). Upper Room Books. Kindle Edition.
[2] Francis I. Anderson, Job: An Introduction and Commentary (Inter-Varsity Press: Downers Grove, 1974), 85.

Job by Léon Bonnat (1880)

“They Still Speak” (Heb 11:1-4; 12:1-2)

Hebrews 11:4

“By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain’s.

Through this he received approval as righteous,

God himself giving approval to his gifts;

he died, but through his faith he still speaks.”

 

He died, but through his faith he still speaks…

 

They Died, But…

Yesterday I shared through “Life Together Community” email how my grandfather has impacted my faith journey. As a Korean Methodist pastor, he was appointed to very difficult churches and communities. But wherever he was sent, he bloomed where he was planted. Right before I came to the US for my seminary education, he said to me, “Son, no matter how good the school is, your education is like an empty bowl. You need to fill that bowl with your prayer and your own Bible study. And he was right. He always prayed, always studied God’s word, always cared for God’s people. His life shaped my pastoral roles. I strive to become a pastor who prays, who preaches the word, and who attends to God’s people. My grandfather died, but through his faith he still speaks.

How blessed we are to have the people who died, but still speak to us and impact us through their faith.

Congruence. When I think about Ed and Pricilla Clark, the word “congruence” (one of my favorite words) comes to my mind. They were the same, when I met them at church, or at their shop, or at their home. They were the same inside and outside. There was no pretense. They died, but through their faith they still speak.

Faith. Chip Wilde was a man of faith. I still vividly remember his final three weeks. He had aggressive cancer. Every time I saw him, his conditions changed noticeably. At times he became emotional, but he had unwavering faith. He was steady like a rock. He stayed the course, and his faith was shining like stars to the end. He died, but through his faith he still speaks.

Thoughtfulness. When I met Bill Conway, at first I thought he seemed unfriendly. I thought he didn’t like me. But the more I got to know him, the more I realized he was a man with much thoughtfulness. When Joyce was approved as a certified candidate, he gave her a very meaningful gift – a butterfly brooch he got from his sister, who was a Methodist clergy. He carefully prepared and gave thoughtful gifts to many others. He died, but through his faith he still speaks.

Perseverance. I would say Arlene Friel was a woman of perseverance. For the first time when I visited her place, I was just amazed at how she drove that distance with that road condition to the church. When she was no longer able to drive that far, she drove to the post office, and our church members gave her a ride. When she was not able to drive at all, she never gave up. She kept going. She was content, positive, grateful. She died, but through her faith she still speaks.

Acceptance. Jane MacPherson passed away this past Wednesday. We are grieving over her rather sudden death. Though it was sudden, I believe she was ready. Right before she was leaving to her niece’s place in Portland for chemo treatments, I had an opportunity to talk with her about “death.” She was aware that she might not be able to come back home again. She was calm, accepting, ready. She was at peace with God and had resurrection faith. She died, but through her faith she still speaks.

             Generosity. I don’t know Ralph Ivey personally. But I had the honor to officiate his funeral this spring. As I was listening to his three sons and family and friends, there was one word that describes who he was – generosity. Angie Wotton shared the following story with me. She didn’t know Ralph well, but she used to drive past his house and admire the lilies he had planted at the end of his driveway. One day she stopped and asked him about them and the next thing she knew, he had dug some of the flowers up and shared them with her. She still has them in her garden and thinks of his generosity whenever they are in bloom. He died, but through his faith he still speaks.

Hospitality. When I think about Don Woods, the word “hospitality” comes to my mind. When I was appointed to this community in 2014, Don was one of the first persons who warmly welcomed me. When we had a July 4^th parade, he invited my family and me to get on his trailer, which had his handmade signs, “Welcome Pastor Victor Han.” He wanted to make sure the whole town to welcome. He was always positive, proactive, friendly, hospitable. He died, but through his faith he still speaks.

 

Such a Great Cloud of Witnesses  

The Bible says, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses… let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us” (Heb 12:1, NIV). Here we learn two spiritual truths. (1) We are in the race, and (2) we are not alone. We are surrounded by all these saints who have gone before us, cheering for us.

This past week I attended a pastor’s retreat at Rolling Ridge Retreat Center in North Andover, MA. While I was taking a prayer walk one afternoon, I found a sculpture in the yard. The title is “Our Humanity” made by Mico Kaufman. As you see in this photo, we are all inter-connected and inter-dependent. Yes, we are in the race marked out for us. But it’s not a sprint. The better picture would be a lifelong journey, walking hand in hand.

On this journey we may not see Jesus with our physical eyes. But we see Jesus in Chip Wilde. We see Jesus in Arlene Friel. We see Jesus in Don Woods. We see Jesus in Jane MacPherson. Jesus Christ is present among us in the church, because the church is the mystical body of Christ. As we remember, honor, follow in the steps of our saints, we are then able to look to Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith (cf. Heb 12:2).

 

Spiritual Exercise

1.     Make a big circle together.

2.     Take one step forward. What happens? We are getting closer to God (in the center), and to each other.

3.     Take one step backward. What happens? We are getting further away from God and from each other.

4.     When I call the names of the saints, take one step forward.

If we know God and see God today, that’s because we are standing on the shoulders of our saints. We give thanks to God for their lives. Thanks be to God. Amen.

by Mico Kaufman