Читать книгу Grateful and Generous Hearts - John H. Westerhoff III - Страница 4

At our baptism each of us was made a Christian. However, insofar as Christianity is a way of life, each of us is called upon to live in community and enter upon a pilgrimage to become Christian, that is, to live into our baptism and become the person our baptism proclaims we are. This pilgrimage is an adventure and a difficult challenge, particularly in terms of becoming a faithful steward.

One of the major reasons that it is difficult for us either to understand or become faithful stewards is that we live in a functional era, a time in which our being is defined by our doing. In other words, we are what we do.

As followers of Jesus, however, we cannot separate who we are from how we behave. But neither can we begin with our behavior. We must begin always with whom God has made us, that is, with our being, who by God’s grace we really are.

Our identity is to be founded upon the fact that we have been incorporated into the body of Christ to the end that we might have Christlike characteristics, that is, be disposed to behave in Christlike ways. (I refer you to Calling: A Song for the Baptized, by Caroline Westerhoff, Cowley Publications.)

One of the difficulties in understanding stewardship in our functional era is that most people’s understanding focuses on action, trying to convince people to give of their time, talents, and treasures to the laudatory programs and faithful works of the church. Nevertheless, this essay is not concerned with raising money or gaining more volunteers for the church. Therefore, I invite you to put aside all your present understandings and all you have been taught about stewardship and consider an alternative.

What follows is about God’s invitation to enter upon a pilgrimage of living into your baptism, of acquiring a more grateful and generous heart, a heart like Jesus’.