StewardLife Lesson 9
STORY:
When do you eat leftovers?
In our house, it's usually on busy days when someone gets home late, there's a piano lesson in the evening, somebody has an evening meeting, or only some of the family will be home for supper.
Would you serve leftovers to an invited guest?
Maybe, if it is only a school friend coming over for the evening, or a relative who stops by a lot—somebody you don't consider really special.
But would you serve leftovers to a special guest—like Jesus?
If Jesus isn't important enough to us, there's a chance we're going to serve him leftovers.
Does Jesus get the leftover time you have?
Do you use your best talents and abilities for Jesus?
Is your weekly service to the Lord based on what you have left over?
If you belong to Jesus, then he is already in your house.
Is it possible that you could remember to pass the dinner plate to Jesus first instead of letting him eat the leftovers?
STORY:
A pastor in Alaska was startled by a knock on his door at the crack of dawn one morning. One of the local Inuits was on the other side, he saw, holding a large fish.
“What can I do for you, Kuniak?” the pastor asked, rubbing his sleepy eyes. “This is my gift for the Lord,” said Kuniak proudly. “I was out fishing all night and here is the first fish.” The pastor was awake now, but still puzzled. He saw no other fish on Kuniak's stringers. The pastor knew Kuniak to be an excellent fisherman who used his talent well. The pastor took the stringer, but had one more question: “So where are all your other fish?” Grabbing his fishing gear and heading quickly toward the shore, Kuniak shouted back, “Still in the lake!”
How does this illustrate putting the Lord first and trusting Him to provide?
EXERCISE:
“Be the first kid on your block to….” is an old advertising line. Think back— identify a time you were excited about being the first to have something you could show off to others. (You may not have to go back to childhood. It may have been just last week when you were first to get one of those new state quarters in change!) When was the last time you were irritated not to be first in line? Did you ever camp out overnight to be first to purchase sports or entertainment tickets? Recall the last time you heard “We're number one!”
Now try to recall the last time you heard “We're number two! We're number two!” Did you ever? What's wrong with this picture?
The StewardLife is one of continuous value judgements. Only one can be number one. How do you as a Christian steward manage when the circumstances are not the best—when you have to settle for less?
How do you manage? Let the true One be the center of your life. If YOU can't be number one, rely on the One who is. Because of Christ, you will be first on the day of resurrection.
See Romans 8:23; Matthew 6:33; Philippians 2:1-3.
