freedom from the perch

In her book 9 Steps to Financial Freedom, author Suzy Orman tells the story of a merchant she met in Mexico one time who was selling parrots.  The parrots, she noticed, were not in cages but  tightly clinging to the perches out in the open.  They could have flown away at any moment, but did not.  When she asked the merchant why this was the case he told her, "I train them to think their perches mean safety and security. When they come to think this, they naturally wrap their claws tightly around the perch and don't want to release it. They keep themselves confined, as if they've forgotten they know how to fly."

Orman wanted to know if this was difficult to train them in this way.  The merchant responded that, while it was very difficult with younger birds, the older ones were quite easy to train.  Orman writes, 

Suddenly a lightbulb went off in my head. We are just like those poor parrots. We have been taught to clutch our money as tightly as we can, as if our money is the perch of our safety and security. Just like those parrots, we have all forgotten how free we really are—with or without the perch. The more afraid we are, the tighter we hold on, and the more we have trapped ourselves. (p.262, Three Rivers Press, 2000)

The man in the parable from Luke 19.11-27 was not unlike those parrots.  Fearing loss and punishment, rather than taking the risk of investing his mina, he held tightly to it, finding this the "safe" and "more secure" option.  We do the same, I think.  God calls us to live and give freely, to trust in him and invest all that we've been given in his kingdom work, but we give in to fear.  We hold tightly to our gifts and blessings, almost as if we believe this is the safest thing to do.  The truth is, however, it's not safe at all.  The parable reveals that the wisest and safest thing to do is let go; hold loosely.  What God honors most is risk and faith and lives of putting to work all that we've been given for his purposes in the world.

I pray that in the uncertainties of life in the 21st century that we would all learn to let go of the perch of our imagined safety and fly freely into the world of God's grace, trustworthiness and mission.  Amen.

bold obedience

The above clip was sent to me after Sunday's message on stewardship.  Craig Groeschel is an ordained Covenant pastor and lead pastor of LifeChurch.tv in Edmond, Oklahoma.  The whole clip is good and fits nicely into The Year of Living Dangerously, but if you're a bit pressed for time, go to about 2:30 in.  That's where he speaks more specifically about stewardship and stepping out in faith.  I'll shut up now so that you can watch.  Peace!

- Pastor Stacey

stuff, stewardship and thanksgiving

On December 27, 2003, a man in the Bronx nearly died at the hands of his "stuff."  The 43-year-old man had lived a reclusive life for decades and may well have suffered from some form of mental illness, but his predicament paints a powerful picture of what greed and materialism can do to us spiritually and emotionally, if not literally.

Over the years this man, Mr. Moore, had collected stacks and stacks of magazines, newspapers, books, catalogues and junk mail.  And he lived in a tiny 10 by 10 foot room!  On the day in question, as he was making his way across the room, all of his stacks came tumbling down around him, literally.  He was stuck, encased in the stacks,trapped standing up for nearly two days before neighbors finally heard him calling out.  When emergency workers arrived, they had to haul away 50 garbage bags full of stuff just to get to Mr. Moore!  Again, I emphasize, this man likely suffered from some disorder and my intention is not to make fun of him or others who suffer in such a way, but to challenge us to consider how all of us have "stuff" that threatens our livelihood in other ways, as well.  We may not be literally crowded out of house and home because of our addiction to things and money, but we may be crowded out spiritually and emotionally.  We may be trapped and enslaved, but God wants us to be free to enjoy the "things" of life and the money of this world, without becoming enslaved or trapped by it.  It reminds of comedian George Carlin's routine on "Stuff."  He remarked once that our houses are simply places "to put your stuff while you go out and get more stuff."

This month, as we both consider a biblical view of stewardship and the approaching Thanksgiving holiday, I pray we all take stock of the things we hold on to, the things we "collect" and the hunger for yet even more of the same in our lives.  More than this, I pray we all get a picture of the freedom that Christ wants to be ours as we seek to faithfully steward over all that he has given us in this life.  And may we do so with gratitude and thanksgiving.  Amen.

when the man in black tithed

I once read a story about Johnny Cash, late in his life, joining a church in the Nashville area and making a point of telling the pastor that he fully intended to tithe.  On the chance that some might not know what that means, it means that he intended to give 10% of his income to the church.  The pastor supposedly responded, "Don't you dare!  You'll ruin my church!"  Now, I haven't been able to find that story again and it may not be completely true.  One never knows with stories like these.  Either way, it makes a good point.

Supposedly, the pastor knew that if one tenth of Johnny Cash's income began to poor into the offering plates all needs of the church would be met and this was unacceptable.  How could this be inacceptable?  Well, at the core of the tithing and stewardship discussion is the reality that, while churches do have budgets and needs (including ours, of course), what is most important is the reality that learning to be generous, to give sacrificially and to steward well over our finances is a necessary discipline if we are to become the fully formed followers of Jesus God intends we become.  If Johnny Cash's tithe began to make people in the church think their giving was "unnecessary," they might stop giving.  And if they stopped giving, their discipleship journey would be stalled and the health of the church would be in question.

The story goes that after some discussion, the pastor and the Man in Black came to an agreement that, while Johnny could give some of his finances to the church, the bulk of his tithe would go to other needs outside the church.  Johnny still tithed, but to other ministries, because stewardship was key for his discipleship, too.

The Apostle Paul puts it this way,

Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid more than once when I was in need.  Not that I desire your gifts; what I desire is that more be credited to your account. (Philippians 4.15-17, emphasis mine)

Catch that?  Paul is not concerned that his readers meet his need.  He's concerned that what they give will be "credited" to their "account."  In other words, it's good for them to tithe, regardless of the impact it might have on Paul and his ministry.  Giving is good for us.

Later in that passage Paul emphasizes, And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus (v.19).  Paul knows that in the end, it is God who meets needs, not good offerings.  God has met his need and he will meet the needs of his readers as well.  These are the words of a person who has learned to trust in God, not in wealth or possessions.  This is where he finds his security.

May we all so find our security in God alone that we, too, can become the generous, giving, fully devoted followers of Jesus God intends we become.  Amen.