I still remember the middle school experiment. A tuning fork was sitting on my desk. I didn’t strike it, but it was humming, just the same. Another student next me had a tuning fork in the same key and, when she struck hers, mine began to vibrate, as well. At the time it seemed like magic. Strike one and make two sing. Now I know it was science—the science of resonance. The sound waves from the first vibrating fork found another built the same way, causing it to ring, as well.
Each of us were built to resonate with the Spirit of Christ. This is the witness of scripture and faith. We are “in the image” of God. Life, though, has a way of getting us off key—worries, sins, busyness, obsessions, greed, the need for an outsized ego and myriad other things. As we drift from God, we are tricked into believing our gifts, talents and resources are in our own key, and we need to keep striking our own tune. Thus, we live a life away from God and absent joy.
Stewardship is putting our life in the right key and raising it up to the song that comes from the throne of God. At first it feels like we are giving up what matters to us—mostly possessions and control. Then we find a peace in knowing that we don’t have to produce our own song—just relax into the Spirit’s vibe. We find joy in realizing that the tune we resonate is more beautiful than the one we try to make for ourselves. We find security in the epiphany that our life is more abundant than ever.
Making sure we are using our life, our gifts, and our resources in resonance with the Spirit is the essence of stewardship. Not only is it worth the effort and sacrifice for our own spiritual growth, it is invaluable to God’s mission in the world.
Raise your faith fork. Put it in the best place to catch what the Spirit is sending. Life will hum.
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Glenn Howell
Director of Development
Heartland Methodist Foundation