We value your input about the weekly Scipture on this blog! This Sunday we will be starting a new series on being a blessing to others by wisely using the resources we have been given. Our Scripture this week is Luke 12:42-48, from which we will tell the story of the steward. To those whom much has been given, much is expected.
As you read and think about these words of Jesus I would appreciate not only your questions and comments, but also any short stories that come to mind which may be appropriate for children. If you are familiar with the Lord of the Rings movies, I am considering talking about the Steward of Gondor.
As you read and think about these words of Jesus I would appreciate not only your questions and comments, but also any short stories that come to mind which may be appropriate for children. If you are familiar with the Lord of the Rings movies, I am considering talking about the Steward of Gondor.
3 Responses to “Sermon for March 12”
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"Great gifts mean great responsibilities; greater gifts, greater responsibilities!"
That always makes me think of Spiderman - "With great power comes great responsibility."
When I was growing up, I had a problem with my faith that I attribute to not understanding Gods gifts and blessings. When I was 10 my parents divorced, and I lived with my mom on a very small income. I went to a catholic school near the Marina District of San Francisco, with a lot of families that were a great deal more "well off" than I was. What I saw, because of my ignorance, was that despite my family being very devout (I was an alter boy, attended mass often 7 times a week. I followed the rules, as did my mom and my family) we were not given a lot by God - we didnt have the big house, fancy cars, clothes, etc. that my classmates did. My family had been shattered, and I didnt understand how my classmates, who were bullies, thieves and punks in my eyes, could have so much, while we had so little. It didnt make sense to me at the time.
But Ive grown a lot since then (thankfully) and I understand that what I thought were blessings - wealth, cool stuff, etc. actually mean very little. And what I didnt see as gifts - love from my parents, a good relationship with my brother and sister, etc. made me more wealthy than any of the kids that I envied.
Its easy to forget that we have been given blessings by God when he is seemingly quiet in our lives, or when we are struggling. This passage tells us that we cant loose sight of the blessings God has given us, and we cant hoard them to ourselves - we are responsible for sharing them with others.
/end ramblings
Greg
I was the oldest in our family, my brother two years younger. In trying to teach us responsibility we were each given a small allowance, and we learned to tithe from that -- I put my dime in an envelope every week. And to save. We got these savings banks that looked like the Lincoln head on a penny and we could only get the money back OUT if we took it to the bank building, where it could be transfered into a savings account or returned to us in cash.
Now I was a little bossy with my younger brother, which he resented. He was also someone with a sweet tooth and we had the freedom to walk alone to the store on the corner, which is where he would spend his allowance on candy. Nosy big sister, I heard my mom explaining again and again to him that he should tithe and save -- and week after week he didn't.
Maybe it is a bit of jealousy -- I was being good and didn't have money for candy unless I went to the neighborhood bank and took it out of my locked and sealed Lincoln bank. He, on the other hand, spent and enjoyed over and over.
So one week when I passed his room and saw his allowance in a shiny pile on the dresser (they paid us in dimes to make it easy for us to be obedient) I stepped inside and...
No, I didn't take the money. But I put it in his bank, the one he couldn't get open unless he made a trip the the BIG BANK (just across the street from the grocery store) to have it opened with their key.
That is the only childhood punishment I remember after all these years. I was severely punished, and it took me a long time to understand what I'd done wrong. I was just helping him do what was right, wasn't I?
But no one can do that for someone else. It was the same as stealing. I took his money and put it where he couldn't get it.
And I think perhaps my obedience in tithing and saving was not as pure as it should have been, because I was so jealous of his carefree use of his money.
My point is this -- it isn't natural for us to be good stewards. Especially in our culture we tend to want stuff and to spend what we get and sometimes even more than that. Helping children to learn to appreciate the resources they have and to be wise with them goes against what is natural and easy. It is, however, an important and very real point of teaching for families to work on.
Paula
hmmm.
three different outcomes according to what was done and not done.
1. reward
2. severe punishment
3. mild punishment
what does this mean? thinking eternally of course.