Serpents and Doves

I didn't expect to find a Stewardship column in the financial pages of the newspaper, but one Sunday in April there it was in a column by Al Lewis. (Mr. Lewis can be read on tellittoal.com.) Lewis proclaims that "Jesus was not a capitalist." He goes on to cite that when he turned water into wine, Jesus did not open a liquor store. "When he healed the sick, he did not bill Medicare, or start an HMO. Somehow, profiting richly from the sick and infirm was considered unjust back in those days." We equate capitalism with Christianity when the only thing they have in common is their initial letter, and offer misinterpretations of the Biblical understanding of giving in order to fill the coffers of the churches, or sometimes the pockets of independent so-called evangelists.
Lewis says the philosophy of, "Plant a seed, reap a harvest makes Christians particularly vulnerable to being victimized." Just give God your money through me, the televangelist purrs, and you will receive a hundred-fold blessing for every dollar donated. Al says that's "something not even the Prince of darkness, Bernie Madoff, had dared."

Christian churches and leaders have made a lot of mistakes, and most of them have been picked up and abused by those who want to use religion as a means for personal power. Nothing could be farther from the lessons of Jesus' life than using God as a means to attain riches or power in this life or the next. How do we miss that?

Every time the church and its leaders misinterpret the Bible, we put at risk the hundreds of seekers who desperately want to find grace and peace in their lives through a spiritual path. We lay them on the altar and hand over the sharpened knife to the charlatans of the world who are all-to-ready to carry out the sacrificial offering. It's our job as stewards of the kingdom of God to protect them. Innocent as a dove, but wise as a serpent - that's the steward's way.