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According to both polls and any impromptu conversations we might have, it’s clear that many Americans are angry about the rescue plan that seems to bail out Wall Street more than them. We rightly ask, “Where is accountability? Where is fairness?” But I also hear this quickly shift into a “let’s nail them!” sentiment. Listening to the proposed solutions of a panel of angry businessmen on CNN, I wanted to call in to say, “Gentleman, business before pleasure please!” (that’s supposed to be funny).
Behind this anger is something more real: fear. I hear and feel that from all corners; you do too. What I want us to notice is the way in which this fear and panic develop immediately from the language of this conversation. The news about the economy has been so uniformly apocalyptic and doom-filled it’s no wonder everyone’s scared. On one hand, we have those who once believed there was no limit to profits now predicting no limit to the bottom. On the other hand, those who claim they knew this was coming are using equally fatalistic language speaking of “the long awaited day of reckoning.” How interesting that they are using language of religions ends to describe economic pain; are finances on a par with God?
And is this word “crisis” appropriate anyway? While this is a crisis for some people, for most it certainly is not. A family is in economic crisis when they make $50,000/yr, have two children and have their health insurance raised to $2,000/mo (half their annual salary) because the mother had cancer. A person whose retirement income has fallen temporarily from $150,000/yr to $100,000/yr is in an adjustment, but not a crisis. So, while the media feeds on hysteria, apocalypse, and worshiping false prophets, we do not have to follow. This takes me to our Stewardship season.
Stewardship is a word much different word than those being used in the daily news. It’s about deep attentiveness to resources, eyes-wide-open awareness of our true Source, courageous willingness to take risks of faith, gratitude turned into generosity. It’s all about building a life on rock and not sand. That means the checks we write to fulfill our pledge are not paying a bill or calculating what we can spare; rather, we are connecting with our God.
My pen starts with today’s date; with a stroke, I am reminded that I live out my faith here and now. I am not in training to be a disciple later; I am that today – this day, my day, your day, God’s day, today. Stewardship is about living out our vocation as Christians. Now the pen moves to enter the name of the one to whom we give the check. If we could write out the check directly to God we would, but the bank wouldn’t cash it. God’s account is in me, in you and within our church. So, instead we write First Church as the payee; God knows what we mean. As for the amount box, how much to give to God? This is where I pause and make a clear confession to God: I know you are responsible for all that I have; thank you, thank you. May my gift now be your joy. Banking is transactional; stewardship is vocational.
Memo. Finally, after signing the check, we may write a note in the memo line. What is the check for? Is it for non-tangible goods and services (to be IRS-compliant)? Is it for the light bills, staff salaries, building maintenance, and mission work? Is it for the priceless and precious faith that gives me a very different way of understanding myself, my life, my world and my journey? There are many reasons that can be noted on this memo line. I will ponder them in the year ahead as I fulfill my pledge. They probably won’t all be the same as yours, but that’s okay. You can choose your own.
Blessings, Susan
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