The world's best bug hunt.

It has been said that the best teacher is someone that has "been there themselves."  Take for example a drug addiction counselor.  If you lived a pristine, all but perfect life and you  have never used drugs, never had withdrawal symptoms, what kind of drug counselor do you think you would make?

It's not that you don't care or don't want to help people, it's just that relating to one another would be very difficult, would it not?  

When I think about this topic I am reminded about the movie "Good Will Hunting."  A great movie.  In it you have the main character "Will" who comes from a poor part of "Southie" (South Boston).  He is experiencing a lot of pain from a tough childhood and even a tougher time finding his place in a polished, self serving world.  He soon meets a counselor who he is initially not impressed with at all.  He thinks that this shrink has no idea of where he's coming from.  After he learns that this guy is also from a tough part of town and has had a tragic life that makes Will's look like a fairly tale - he then relates and has an immediate and life changing bond.

In this blog I talk about Stewardship.  If I'm talking and teaching on the subject one would imagine that "this guy must be a good steward himself." I'd like to think that Cathy and I now fit that description.  Moreover, my new goal in life is to someday to hear "well done my good and faithful servant" more than anything.  But were we always the perfect stewards, not even close.  In fact if you were to measure my past Stewardship level on a sliding scale from 1 to 10 - I'd put myself around a 2 at most. So I wasn't a good steward, but hey I was a pretty good person and went to church on Sunday. So who cares?  Well, he does and he tells so in the Bible and in fact - more than any other topic.

Discovery is the best part!

My daughter McKenzie is your typical 100 miles-per-hour moving inquisitive kid. Always on the lookout for something cool to discover. This summer, has been the summer of bugs.  She has held captive more bugs than I can count and the jailhouse is still growing for these creepy crawly things. I noticed something about McKenzie - when she finds and captures a new bug, she has to tell all but the mailman about her discovery! Her excitement simply cannot be contained. She has the compulsorily desire to tell the world!  When I learned about and embraced Stewardship I felt the very same way. Excitement is contagious and we often share with others new discoveries by our nature.  Hence, show and tell.

I imagine that when I share to others my excitement about Stewardship they just might think "gee thanks for sharing."  In fact, had someone shared their excitement about Stewardship to me a few years back I might say "well that's nice - good for you" and go back to living my life.

Unlike a cool looking dragonfly that I can peer into McKenzie's jar and see and touch, I can't really put Stewardship in a jar and let people poke it to see what it does.  I guess it's something that you need to feel and see it's results before you can garner a McKenzie-like smile.

On a "bug hunt" you need to get your net, walk through the field and keep a keen eye on your potential discovery (victim).  There's a bit of a rush digging into the field and stalking your prey awaiting that moment of discovery when you can, with a big swat, snag your prize for the neighborhood to see.  I'll admit, selling the concept of going on a Stewardship hunt isn't nearly as exciting as hunting down a firefly - but I can tell you from experience the feeling you get when you catch it - is far more rewarding than the firefly, that will die no matter how well McKenzie cares for it.

As humans we have sensory abilities that really bring to life a new discovery. Seeing a caterpillar and feeling it crawl over your hands is something you just have to experience to really get excited and relate to it.  Sure McKenzie has books about bugs and she loves reading them (look at the pictures), but not to the point that she's running around the house saying "Dad, Dad you've got to see this!"  Yes seeing and feeling things are powerful senses and easy to immediately relate to.

You can't put it in a net, but you can see and feel it.

What if I told you that I have felt and seen Stewardship?  I know, the caged butterfly is far more exciting. But you can - really.  How do I know this?  Because I once was living a life in which I hadn't yet found it.  I had in a sense an empty net with no bugs in sight.  Not on the hunt however I did start to notice people who had caught it.  I was able to look at these people captivated by what they had caught and see their excitement.  They glowed as if they were the firefly.  I was able to plainly see how different they were and feel their generosity for myself firsthand. Seeing is believing...that's always been a bugger for the Christian telling others about their faith hasn't it?  But if we look at most Christians and just observe them you can see their joy, their peace and their glow.

Biblical stewardship is the use of God-given resources (time, talent, treasure, truth, relationships, etc.) for the accomplishment of God-given goals and objectives.

Another way to see Stewardship in action is to head to the local soup kitchen, youth ministry, or in the mission field.  Often when I ask people what is Stewardship they invariably answer - tithing.  They're partially right.  A good steward gives not only money, but time, talents, and love.  When I see people that are walking billboards of this behavior - they're like a shining light on a hill.  Being around them makes me want to be a better person and really that was where I had my first discovery.  I had seen it.

A little "light" reading.

It's a daunting task to start reading the bible isn't it? There are stories about man eating whales to the ocean being parted.  In today's times it's tough for many to grasp these stories. As I mature in my understanding of what is written I am able to understand what is literal and what is a parable.  Both have much to teach us.

You may not know this but the number one topic from cover to cover relates to money and Stewardship.  Numero Uno.  In fact if you take your net and hunt through the Bible you'll be amazed at just how much is in there about Stewardship.  So what do you get when you add all these messages up - what's the takeaway here?  It's simple and it encompasses a few key expectations from God:

• God asks for our "first fruits."  Meaning the very best and the first of our yield - not what's left over after the entertainment budget went over again.
• Jesus tells us plainly and through parables the importance of giving not only our tithe (10% of our gross income) as the Old Testament describes, but even more to those who are in need.
• Lastly, don't give out of guilt or begrudgingly as you won't stick with it and you will miss out on the good stuff.  Give with a joyful heart! When I see that check clear in my bank account it makes me smile! I did the Lord's will and I get to further his Kingdom and help those that he chooses.

The way we spend our money is a measure of our real priorities.
- MATTHEW 6:19-21

So let's say that you take the Stewardship challenge. Not just giving, but giving until it hurts.  From experience I can tell you that when Cathy and I started to tithe - some days it hurt!  We would look at the check we just wrote in the church parking lot and had a "whew" look in our eyes.  Then you know what happened...we smiled and even laughed.  That's feeling!  We got the same goosebumps as you get when a caterpillar crawls up your arm.  We call them "God bumps."  However we experienced a sense of peace that I can't even describe.  

Two reasons we felt this joy: (1) We were following the command of God. (2) We knew that this money was going to help needy families, kids, missions in other countries - simply put - help others.  That felt good.  We also could see and hear about the people that we were helping.  Lastly we were amazed at just how fast God put that money right back in our pockets as if we never gave it in the first place.  Simply amazing.  

Keep in mind however Jesus isn't our genie.  Don't expect that just because you gave, Publishers Clearing House will be waiting with balloons when you get home from church.  He will however always give you what you need - I promise.  Instead we all need to keep an eternal and Biblical mindset.  If you are a Christian, you should believe that our time here on earth is only temporary and our real home is waiting.

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.  MATTHEW 6:19  

To live the charge that Jesus called us to in its entirety is hard.  In your quest to be good stewards just remember that "God owns it all."  We are but only his servants and his stewards.  When you really understand this, I mean feel it in your bones, not only will you give with a joyful heart - you also place far more respect of what you keep.  

Appreciation, admiration, gratefulness and joy that illuminate who you are (like a firefly) will now be what people who are on the hunt will see and so will God.

Written by Jeff Boutin

www.jpbfinancial.net