2014 Stewardship Sunday: Giving All to Join in God's Dream

What if you found an item so precious, you were willing to give up everything you owned to obtain it? That’s hard to imagine in a culture which encourages wealth management and asset preservation. Perhaps this lack of imagination caused Jesus to compare the kingdom of heaven to someone who seeks pearls and finds one of such great value that it is worth liquidating all other assets to buy it.

There is a contemporary twist given to this parable. After the pearl seeker hands over everything (the funds from chequing and savings accounts, deeds to primary residence and cottage, car and boat, stock and bond portfolio, retirement funds and life insurance plan) and receives the pearl, there is a surprise. The seller of the pearl says, “Here is everything you gave me to purchase the pearl. I am giving all of these things to you for your use. They still belong to me but you are welcome to use them wisely. The only thing I ask is that whenever you can, whenever someone requests it, you consider sharing these resources.”

God’s dream is for everyone to share in shalom and God’s abundance. We can buy in to God’s dream by holding our material resources lightly in order to free us to give generously.