The Faithful and Sensible Steward: The Adventures of Alfred the Butler, part 3

"And the Lord said, 'Who then is the faithful and sensible steward, whom his master will put in charge of his servants, to give them their rations at the proper time? Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes.'Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions. But if that slave says in his heart, 'My master will be a long time in coming,' and begins to beat the slaves, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk; the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces, and assign him a place with the unbelievers. And that slave who knew his master's will and did not get ready or act in accord with his will, will receive many lashes, but the one who did not know it, and committed deeds worthy of a flogging, will receive but few." Luke 12: 42-48 NASB

In case you're just joining us, we have taken a little segue for the story of Alfred the Butler. It's an allegory and it has surprised me as much as anyone. 

Alfred has been a butler for a long time. He has a great master who announced he was giving Alfred a new job. Instead of being a butler, he is now in charge of grain distribution. You might want to read the previous stories to get caught up. Alfred # 1 and Alfred # 2.

We pick up at the point where the Master is leaving Alfred at the warehouse. Alfred is more than a little intimidated...

"Well, Alfred. It's a big job, but I'm counting on you." The master shakes Alfred's hand and departs, leaving Alfred to figure it out.

Alfred has his butler apron in his suitcase. It looks like he will need it, so he finds his new rooms. Maybe he should unpack first. The bedroom is worse than the warehouse. Old pizza boxes and fast food wrappers spill out from the garbage can and litter the floor. A beer bottle is broken, the fragments of glass lying in the corner. The mirror is cracked and so dirty he can't see his reflection. The white sheets on the cot are gray with dirt. They are not Egyptian cotton. The toilet is unmentionable. 

Alfred gags and chokes back the bile rising in his throat. "Oh, dear. This is not good. Not good at all." Alfred thinks a little more, but wisely decides not to say it. He had planned to unpack first, but not in this room. He gags again. The stench makes his eyes burn and he has to blink back tears.

Alfred has reached another decision point. He could do what the previous slacker did or he can get to work trying to do the job the master has given him. "I don't even know where to begin," he moans. He looks up and sees a little mouse nibbling on a crumb from one of the pizza boxes on the floor. A grain warehouse is no place for mice. 

Alfred has been a butler for years. He knows what to do about a mess and he knows how to do it. I might be qualified for this job after all, if it were just a little smaller. 

"Alfred, keep a stiff upper lip and get started," he tells himself, because that is what butlers do. "Make a list." Alfred takes the Mont Blanc pen out of his pocket and retrieves a discarded fast food bag from the floor. 
#1. Find garbage bags, broom, and dust pan. (This was #3 but he can't do anything else until he has bags, so he modifies his list.)
#2. Pick up garbage
#3. Take to dumpster
#4. Sweep
#5. Stack intact bags of grain 
#6. Decide what can be saved of the opened bags of grain

He reviews his list. There is nothing about grain distribution on the list. Well, it can't be helped. First things first. He will get to grain distribution when he can get to the grain.

Time to start on the garbage. Alfred reaches into the suitcase for his butler apron, ties it over his suit, and goes in search of a broom and garbage bags. 

His little bedroom is horrible. Alfred can't imagine lying down on that bed and trying to sleep with a mouse eating from the trash in the corner. YUCK. Alfred hates that room and he considers beginning his cleaning efforts right there. 

You guessed it. Alfred has reached another crossroads. He remembers all the thin, hungry children in the parking lot. This mess, left by the Master's own servants, is the reason those children are dying of hunger. Alfred talks to himself sometimes, and he needs a good "talking to" now.

"Alfred, old boy, this job is not about you. It's about the Master's grain distribution. Hop to it and get this grain ready for those poor little children." He straightens his shoulders and gets to work.

Our butler sweeps up dirt, gathers trash, and fills garbage bags. The dust clouds tickle his nose and make his sneeze. Alfred is accustomed to long hours, so he works until bedtime. When he finally stops, he looks around the warehouse. He has filled twelve bags with garbage. What a mess! 

Alfred once again surveys the 100,000 square foot warehouse. It is still a wreck and he is one man with one push broom and a dustpan. Have I made any difference at all? Is this possible? The job is too big, he thinks, but then he looks at the area where he has been working. He has completely cleared 500 square feet of debris and dust. Only 99,500 square feet to go!

He leans on his broom and takes a break. Why didn't the previous warehouse manager keep the warehouse clean? Everything he needed was here. Didn't he care? Didn't he want to please the Master? I will never understand how he let things get in this mess.

"Well, I'm not in charge of what didn't happen. I'm only in charge of what I can do, and I intend to do it." He gives himself another little talk, then Alfred pushes the broom ahead of him. There's too much work to do to stop now. 

Alfred finds himself in much the same situation we, as Christ followers, find ourselves in today. The body of Christ has, perhaps, not been the salt and light Jesus intended us to be. Regardless of who did or did not do whatever was or was not done, we have a mess in our world. There's no need to elaborate. You can see it for yourself.

We, too, stand at a crossroads. We can focus on making our little "quarters" more comfortable, or we can wade into the mess and try to make a difference. Alfred finds himself with an awful mess (as do we) but he does not hold back. He starts in one corner and makes a difference where he is, and so should we. 

God has placed gifts and abilities in each of us, and He longs for us to use them for Him.

We could make a difference, if we would make a start. What gifts has God placed in you? How can you use those gifts to make a difference in your "corner of the warehouse"?

As we end today, we realize that Alfred the Butler has been a faithful servant, even though he's only worked in 500 of 100,000 square feet. There is much to be done, but he's made a start and that's all that's required of him. At every crossroads of decision (so far) Alfred has done what he can do. He's chosen a good attitude and he's chosen to do what he's supposed to do.

How's our attitude? Have we done all that we can do for the kingdom of God?

Let's gather our supplies and make a start.

~~~~~~~

Our Father, forgive us for not being salt and light in a dark place. Help us to focus more on your kingdom and less on ourselves. Help us to be more interested in making a difference in the world than in keeping ourselves comfortable. In Jesus' name, Amen.

The Faithful and Sensible Steward: The Adventures of Alfred the Butler, part 2

courtesy free images.com

"And the Lord said, 'Who then is the faithful and sensible steward, whom his master will put in charge of his servants, to give them their rations at the proper time? Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes.'Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions. But if that slave says in his heart, 'My master will be a long time in coming,' and begins to beat the slaves, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk; the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces, and assign him a place with the unbelievers. And that slave who knew his master's will and did not get ready or act in accord with his will, will receive many lashes, but the one who did not know it, and committed deeds worthy of a flogging, will receive but few." Luke 12: 42-48 NASB

Yesterday, we met Alfred the Butler and he returns today to help us with our lesson. 

Alfred, as you may remember, has worked for his employer for years. He's a steady, stiff, faithful butler. He anticipates his master's needs and meets them before the master has a chance to ask. Alfred is terrific and he loves being a butler. Alfred gets to dress up in a nice suit every day and sometimes he wears a tuxedo. He greets all the important people who come to visit his master. After all these years, Alfred knows many important people, too. Alfred's master likes gourmet food. Since it's as easy to cook for several as to cook for one or two, the cook prepares the same thing for Alfred as for the master. As a result, Alfred eats gourmet food every day. He lives in the master's mansion in his own quarters. Alfred has a cushy, interesting job. He works long hours, but what does that matter? Alfred is important.

Alfred has a problem. 

Earlier today, Alfred's master made an announcement. "Alfred, old boy, I'm giving you a promotion. I'm putting you in charge of grain distribution."

What? "Grain distribution, Sir? I'm not sure I understand." Surely not grain distribution, Alfred thinks. 

"Oh, yes, Alfred. I need someone to distribute grain to the workers. It's a big job but I know you can do it."

"Would I work in the warehouse?"

"Definitely, Alfred. I have a little apartment for you on the side of the warehouse. It's not much, but it has a ceiling fan and a space heater. The bed has a memory foam mattress. You'll be comfortable enough, I expect."

Memory foam? Alfred has grown accustomed to down, not foam. Ceiling fan? Space heater? It's been years since he lived without central air conditioning. This does not sound like a promotion. Is there gourmet food in a warehouse? Alfred thinks not.

"Could I think about it, Sir?"

"No thinking needed, Alfred. I've already decided. You start tomorrow."

Alfred stands at a crossroads. He has two choices. He can embrace the change, organize the grain, and establish a workable method of distribution. For today, that's the choice Alfred will make. 

"Well, Sir, this is quite a surprise. I never expected to work in the warehouse, but I trust you. You've always been a good master, so I accept this job. Let me get packed and I can start today if you'd like." 

"Good show, Alfred. That would be great. Let me know when you're ready, and I'll drive you myself." (Which is helpful because Alfred has always driven the master's car when needed and doesn't own a vehicle.)

Alfred hurries to his bedroom. He looks around the lovely room, sits once more on the bed with the down comforter, and gathers his thoughts. "I will do my best," he decides. Alfred pulls out his suitcase and begins to pack. He puts his silk pajamas and robe in the case, his underwear and toiletries. Alfred reaches into the closet for his suits. I don't guess I'll wear suits in the warehouse, but it's all I have. He folds the suits and his butler aprons and puts them in the bag, too. 

When the suitcase is full, he adds a few family photos, closes the bag and goes downstairs to his new life. "I'm ready when you are, Sir."

"Great, Alfred. Let's get going."

As the car enters the parking lot, a crowd is milling about. Everyone in the crowd is thin. Some are holding their stomachs. The children are crying. He notices one mother holding hands with two little girls. They are all terribly thin. Nothing but skin and bones, Alfred thinks. The children are crying. Tears trickle down the mother's cheeks, too. Someone needs to fatten those children up. They look hungry. 

At the warehouse, Alfred is shocked. The last grain supervisor must've been a slacker. The warehouse is dirty and in disarray. Alfred runs his finger along a counter and lifts it for a look. Black slime. Now I see why master wanted a new supervisor. The bags of grain are jumbled haphazardly and some have been gnawed by mice. Grain is spilling on the floor. This is such a waste. No wonder there are children starving.

Alfred stands at the entrance to the warehouse and looks across the vast room. There is filth and waste everywhere he looks. "It wasn't vandals who did this. It was the master's own employees who did it," Alfred realizes. They didn't take their job seriously. 

They should've gone to butler school. Then they'd have known better. 

Alfred is right, isn't he? It's not the master's enemies who have made such a mess of things. It was his employees. The waste and destruction is all because they failed to be faithful in the one job entrusted to them. Distributing grain.

When we fail to be faithful in the work to which God has called us, it has far-reaching consequences for those who depend on that work to be done. People perish without it, sometimes physically and sometimes spiritually.

"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations..." (Matt. 28:19)
"He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much..." (Luke 16:10)

To what work has God called us? How are we making a difference in the kingdom? What is the result of our work left undone? 

For today, let's ask God to show us where we've been unfaithful and help us to see the results of our failure, then ask His forgiveness and get started, doing the work that must be done.

~~~~~~~

Almighty God, forgive us for our failure to be faithful. Help us to see the tasks to which You have called us and to be faithful to the work You have for us to do. In Jesus' name, Amen.

The Faithful and sensible steward: The parable of Alfred the Butler

"And the Lord said, 'Who then is the faithful and sensible steward, whom his master will put in charge of his servants, to give them their rations at the proper time? Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes.'" Luke 12: 42-43 NASB

So far in this series, we've studied faithful and sensible servants, sharing the nourishment of obedience as we "feed my sheep." and healing broken hearts (those of the people around us) as one of the objectives of our service.Yesterday, we looked at the job of dispensing the grain. (Click the links to read the previous posts in this series.) 

Today, we are taking another little segue to talk about a literary technique. It's the idea of showing versus telling. 

Yesterday was a busy day and I had less time to work on my novel than I'd planned. I'm trying to polish it before it goes to the editor, and it's harder work than you might think. Late yesterday afternoon, I reached a difficult section. It was the very first part I'd written back in November. As I scanned it for corrections, I realized it was two pages of telling, not showing. The entire section has to be rewritten. 

I looked at my words, calculated how long it would take to fix it, and wondered if the editor would catch it if I left it. Duh. Of course he will. It has to be changed. I'm ashamed to admit it, but I left it for today. (I'm dreading the fix. Can you tell?)

In "telling", a chunk of information is relayed in narrative form. Example: He had a car wreck. In showing, the information is relayed in a way that can be visualized. Example: Jack's eyes scanned the road. A deer stood in the median. Please stay there. Don't run. He glanced back at his speedometer. 68 mph. Too fast if the deer started into the road. Jack hit his brakes, but not fast enough. The deer dashed for the pasture on the other side. No way to miss it. Jack jerked the steering wheel to the right. The car swerved. He slammed on brakes again and the car began to skid. Spin... 

You get the idea, don't you? We know a lot more information about the car wreck if I show you by describing the events that transpired. 

It's the way Jesus taught. He used parables to show, rather than simply tell. He told stories in such a way that His listeners could imagine them as they unfolded, imagine themselves in the midst of the story. It made the truth more palatable. He could ask questions about the people in His story and His listeners could recognize truth without being hammered by harsh words. The truth He shared was not diminished by His stories, but made easier to understand and harder to forget.

This little parable doesn't have all the visual impact of the story of the Good Samaritan, but I can see it in my mind's eye. For some reason, the servant I see is a stereotypical English butler. We'll call him Alfred. 

Alfred is meticulous about his suit. It's always perfectly pressed without a speck of lint or dirt. His shirt is snowy white with heavy starch. His shoes are free of scuffs and polished to a shine. 

Alfred arises before dawn to have coffee ready for his master when he awakens. He hears the sound of running water. My master is awake. He puts coffee into a carafe, then places the carafe, a mug, and napkin on a tray, and carries it up stairs. He knocks on the master's door. "Sir, are you ready for your coffee?" 

He anticipates every need. (I won't take the time to show how he meets the needs. I'll tell to save time, but you've seen Alfred, so you can imagine it.) Stiff Alfred the butler spends his entire day anticipating his master's needs, responding to his wishes. He stays up long hours after his master goes to bed, preparing for the next day. 

* * *

(three asterisks indicates a scene change) 

Alfred is a hard worker and his master appreciates it. He needs someone to help him with an important task. Master says to himself, "I want someone I can count on," and he thinks of Alfred. Alfred is dependable and a hard worker. He has never let his master down.

"I'll promote Alfred," the master decides, so he calls for his butler. "Alfred, I've made a decision. You're such a good worker, I've decided to promote you. I want you to hand out the grain to my other workers."

* * *

"Hand out grain?" That doesn't sound like a promotion. That sounds terrible. Arthur can't believe it. Haven't I done a good job? Haven't I worked long and hard? Now I have to hand out the grain?

You get the idea, don't you? Alfred, a household servant who's had close access to his master for years is not at all sure he wants a job in the warehouse (where the grain is kept) doing manual labor (moving the bags of grain, distributing the food). He's not at all sure about wearing coveralls and work boots (he's always worn a suit). Life is about to change, and Alfred is not sure it's for the better.

What Alfred can't see is that his master is giving Alfred the work that matters most. The master is happy to have coffee first thing in the morning, but he is most concerned that the people who work for him have the food they need to stay strong and healthy. He can't trust that job to just anyone. Only the most reliable person will do. Only Alfred.

Alfred sees how hard the work will be, how different his life will be. 

The master knows how strong his workers will be if they have the food they need. He knows how much they will accomplish. He's going on a trip, but when he returns, he has a big reward for Alfred. He's not going to mention the reward to Alfred. Not yet. It's a surprise.

Alfred stands at a crossroads. He can embrace the new work with joy and throw himself into it with the same precision and enthusiasm of his butler work, or he can seethe in anger that the job is not the one he wanted. He can be a good steward of the grain, distributing it carefully and correctly, or do a slipshod job, taking advantage of the opportunity to skim grain and selling it for a profit on the black market.

Which will he do? We'll talk more about Alfred tomorrow.

For today, let's consider how we would feel in Alfred's place. God has something for each of us to do. It may not be as attractive a job as the one we envisioned for ourselves, but it is no less important to God. The attitude with which we embrace the work God gives us determines the quality of the work we do. 

How's our attitude?

I'm a better servant when I serve with joy. I'm a better servant when I serve from love.

How well are we serving? What changes do we need to make?

~~~~~~~

Our Father, forgive us for our unwillingness to serve you in difficult circumstances. Help us to embrace the job you have for us and to serve with a cheerful heart. In Jesus' name, Amen.

The Faithful and Sensible Steward: Delivering the Grain

"And the Lord said, 'Who then is the faithful and sensible steward, whom his master will put in charge of his servants, to give them their rations at the proper time? Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes.'" Luke 12: 42-43 NASB

We've spent the last few days on these two verses. Jesus is looking  for faithful and sensible servants. We've learned that "giving rations" is a little like "feed my sheep." Doing the will of the Father was nourishment to Jesus and it should be to us, as well. Yesterday, we learned that healing broken hearts (those of the people around us) should be one of the objectives of our service.(Click the links to read the previous posts in this series.) 

Today, we turn to the task of the steward who is put in charge. Usually, the one who is in charge assigns the jobs and those "under" him do the work. In Jesus' hierarchy, it's exactly opposite. In the Kingdom of God, the one in charge does the work. 

Sitometrion is a Greek word translated here as "their rations" and is used only once in Scripture. It literally means "a measured portion of grain." The one given authority by Jesus is not moved into a position distant from the people he serves. Jesus gives authority that moves us closer to the people we serve. 

In Jesus' system of administration, a promotion is to the front lines of service, not to a lofty corner office. He promotes to handing out grain, not handing down edicts. 

It's a surprising system, isn't it?

I like the corner office. I prefer the big promotion that allows manicured nails and well-tailored suits.

The problem with the corner-office promotion is that it provides an additional layer, or two or three, from the very work that earned us the promotion, from the people we intended to serve. We end up serving more paperwork (even if digitally) than persons.

Are we serving Jesus in "front line" ways? Are we touching lives up close or living a remote, lofty kind of faith that is isolated from the people we were called to serve? 

When I give God my hands, He uses them in the most unexpected ways. It rarely ever requires a nice manicure to accomplish His work.

If we are faithful servants of Christ, we should be present with the people we serve.

Let's take a careful look at the service we give to our Lord. Are we serving as "ration givers" or not? Are we delivering the bread of life to those around us? If not, why not?

We have a personal, one-on-one God who knows us intimately and loves us anyway. We can do no less than serve as He served, love as He loved.

~~~~~~~

Dear Father, forgive us for giving more than serving, for serving ourselves more than those in need. Help us to have servants hearts. Make us servants to those You love. In Jesus' name, Amen.

The Faithful and Sensible Steward: Healing the Brokenhearted

"And the Lord said, 'Who then is the faithful and sensible steward, whom his master will put in charge of his servants, to give them their rations at the proper time? Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes.'" Luke 12: 42-43 NASB

We've spent the last few days on these two verses. Just as the Army is "looking for a few good men," Jesus is looking  for faithful and sensible servants. (Click the links to read the previous posts in this series.) Yesterday, we learned that "giving rations" is a little like "feed my sheep." Doing the will of the Father was nourishment to Jesus and it should be to us, as well.

Jesus used an interesting word, therapeia, translated as "of his servants". It indicates care or attention for those in the household. The same word is also used to indicate healing. It's used in Rev 22:2 and translated as "healing", found in the leaves of the trees. 

In a way, the Lord looks for the faithful and sensible steward so that they can provide therapeia, care and healing, for others. Positions in the kingdom of God involve more than giving a moving speech or collecting an offering. Authority in the Kingdom of God (even as a steward) has healing and growth as its objective. 

If we are serving God, we should be helping others live a life of obedience and helping the brokenhearted find healing in Christ alone. 

To help others live obediently we must first live obediently ourselves.

To help the brokenhearted find healing, we must first find our own healing in Christ alone.

At last we've come to the thing that must be done. We, the followers of Christ, must first turn to Him for healing of our fractured, hurting hearts. When we allow Him to peel back the layers of hurt, the decades of injury (big and small), and apply the divine poultice of His love and grace, it changes everything. 

He reveals our weakness and becomes our strength. 

He uncovers our pain and becomes our comfort. 

He removes our fears and becomes our hope.

Who wants their weakness, pain, and fear uncovered? I do. Sounds crazy, I know, but it is only with the divine uncovering that I can know the depths of His strength, comfort, and hope. 

Allowing Christ's gentle fingers to touch my hurting spots is a delicious agony that brings the greatest joy, the sweetest peace, the most overwhelming love. 

This divine love story is worth the risk. Worth the pain. Worth the cost. Once we've embraced His love story, He equips us to help others in their search for healing, for we know the Healer.

When we know the delight of being healed, being whole, we will no longer willingly settle for unnecessary pain.

Our Lord is not seeking for wounded followers who refuse to be made whole. He's looking for disciples who will follow Him. Follow to healing. Follow to service.

Let's not stop short. Let's invite Him into our pain, into our struggle, and allow Him to do the unimaginable in our lives. Let's allow him to heal. Every single hurt.

~~~~~~~

Our Father, we bring your our broken, hurting hearts and invite you to uncover, snip away the rottenness, and heal our wounds. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Waiting for Jesus, part 24: Standing Amazed

He, however, took her by the hand and called, saying, "Child, arise!" And her spirit returned, and she got up immediately; and He gave orders for something to be given her to eat. Her parents were amazed; but He instructed them to tell no one what had happened. (Luke 8:54-56 NASB)

The word translated here as "amazed" is existēmi, and (according to Vine's) literally means "to stand out from" or (BLB) "to throw out of position". The phrase "out of his mind" comes from this word. You might well imagine that Jairus and his wife were "out of their minds" with joy, surprise, and delight at the miraculous healing of their daughter. 

This idea of "thrown out of position" is intriguing, isn't it? To fully understand, we have to look at the position they were in before. Jairus was a synagogue official, so he had considerable standing and influence in the community. As his wife, Mrs. Jairus would have been a leading citizen as well. She would have been active in charitable and religious organizations, a doer of good deeds. To be active in church and civic organizations is not the same as having a personal and intimate relationship with the Almighty One, however. We don't know what their faith was like, but we do know that they had not found the answer to their great need, and had turned to Jesus. 

With two words, "Child, arise," Jesus healed the little girl and threw her parents completely "out of position". Neither civic nor religious positions, prestige, or community standing mattered beside the miracle they had just seen. They were utterly, totally amazed by what Jesus had done. Only Jesus had the power to raise their daughter from the dead. They would never forget it, and they would never be the same. 

When we experience the divine power of Jesus, we are amazed, but we are also "thrown out of position" because we are never the same again.  Doesn't that have an exciting sound? Never the same again. It implies something new, something fresh, something wonderful. It is what the power of Jesus can do. He makes all things new, including us!  (Rev 21:5)

Have you been "thrown out of position" by the power of God? Have you been utterly amazed by Him?  If not, do what Jairus did. Take your need and your fear to Jesus, offer it to Him without reservation, invite Him to do what only He can do, and wait until He moves. He won't just surprise you, He will transform you!

Nourishment of Obedience

"And the Lord said, 'Who then is the faithful and sensible steward, whom his master will put in charge of his servants, to give them their rations at the proper time? Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes.'" Luke 12: 42-43 NASB

I understood the most remarkable bit of truth this morning, and can't wait to share it with you. Just as the Army is "looking for a few good men", Jesus is looking  for faithful and sensible servants. (Click the links to read the previous posts in this series.)

As I read this, Jesus has a specific task in mind for these faithful, sensible servants. His plan is to put them in charge of giving rations to his servants at the proper time. It's a different way of saying, "feed my sheep." 

We're taking a little segue, but I'll pull the threads together at the end. In John 4, the disciples urged Jesus to eat. "No," He told them. "I have food you don't know about." The disciples were surprised. "Who brought Him food?" Jesus just smiled. "My food," He explained, "is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work." 

Obedience was as sustaining as food to Jesus. Nourishment to His soul.

If faithful servants are to give rations at the proper time, could it  be that the "ration" is obedience? 

Jesus is searching for faithful, sensible servants who can demonstrate obedience to fellow believers. The servant He needs is one who finds the will of God as nourishing for their soul as food is to their body and can "give" that desire for nourishing obedience to their fellow followers.

I can't give what I don't have.

If I want to be the faithful, sensible steward who is rewarded by God with more responsibility in the Kingdom, I must begin by being the kind of follower who finds obedience nourishing and joyful.

The world has turned the idea of obedience into a hard and torturous idea, but following Christ is the most amazing, fun journey possible. He plants sweet surprise around every corner and wraps even the hard times in a blanket of joy. Jesus turns obedience into nourishment and it's sweet nourishment, indeed.

Rather than focusing on doing, let's focus on being a faithful, sensible servant who finds obedience the greatest adventure of all. It's only then that we can be the servant who serves the joy of obedience to those around us.

~~~~~~~

Our Father, help me to follow You with persistence so that I can demonstrate the great joy of obedience to those around me. In Jesus name, amen.

Sensible: Heavenly Minded and Earthly Good

"And the Lord said, 'Who then is the faithful and sensible steward, whom his master will put in charge of his servants, to give them their rations at the proper time? Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes.'" Luke 12: 42-43 NASB

There is a certain kind of steward whose master will put him in charge of his servants. It's the one who is both faithful and sensible. We looked at faithful yesterday. 

The other adjective Jesus used is sensible. The word used here is phronimos and literally means intelligent or "practically wise". This is not "book smart". This is "horse smart". It's what we might call "common sense". 

You may have heard the phrase, "He's so heavenly minded that he's no earthly good." 

Our Lord is looking for heavenly-minded servants who are also wise in a practical way. 

We need to be "earthly good" because He has placed us here on earth to serve Him.

If we memorize every verse of Scripture in the Bible but don't use our knowledge to serve Christ by ministering to the people He places in our path, what good have we done? How have we advanced the Kingdom of God?

Yes, we are to plant the words of Christ deep in our hearts, but the purpose is not to hoard it. The purpose of the planting is so that it can grow and bear fruit. What kind of fruit? The living Word of God bears living fruit. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, self-control. 

We are to be Christ-followers, not just Christ-studiers. 

Being a follower means I put my feet to the ground, my hand to the plow, and I work for Him in whatever task He gives me. 

The life of a writer is so solitary that I sometimes wonder what plowing He intends for me at this point in my life. It's easy for me to watch everything happening around me from a distance, to stand just outside, watching as life unfolds. It requires a choice on my part to enter in, so I'm trying to make that choice on a daily basis.

Lately, that choice has meant long, friendly conversations with volunteers in national parks, quick conversations with young (and very dirty) back-packers looking for a bus station, compassion for someone who was unwittingly injured by the mistake of another, smiles for frowning people, patience when I'm tired and want to scream instead. 

Being a Christ-follower has also meant relinquishing security for the uncertain path of a Certain God, who has a plan I cannot see.

This life I'm living now is not what I expected at this stage of my life, but I wouldn't change it for anything. It's a kind of adventure. It's astonishing, and hard, and fun. There's not much more beautiful to me than the black on white of words on the page. I'm breathless and awed by the grace of God that allows me to be a part of this incredible work, but equally awed by the job of hauling hay, feeding animals, repairing feed troughs. I hope I'm becoming a sensible steward, one who is "practically wise".

Jesus is looking for faithful stewards who are wise in practical ways. 

Am I that faithful steward? Are you? It's the question we all must answer. He expects us to take the intelligence He's given us and use it for the Kingdom of God, so take a look at the knowledge He's placed in you. How are you using it for Him? 

Let's give Him free reign in our lives to take our abilities, our knowledge, our intellect, and use it as He desires. 

Let's do earthly good with our heavenly-minded hearts.

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Our Father, forgive us for not serving those You've placed in our paths. Help us to serve with open hearts and ready hands. Help us to be practically wise. In Jesus' name, Amen.