Thinking about Thanksgiving and Stewardship….

A steward is like a manager of a local McDonald’s Restaurant who carries out the aims of the owners, maximizes profits, while handling all the problems – and    seeing that there are plenty of french fries!

A pastor of a large church makes a point about stewardship in a class he teaches called "Who Owns Your French Fries". It is the story of a man who buys his little boy some french fries. Then the father does what all fathers do, he reaches over and takes one french fry to taste it. The little boy slaps his father’s hand and says, "Don’t touch my french fries."

The father thinks that his son is selfish. The father knows that he bought the french fries and they belong to him. The father knows that his son belongs to him. The father could get angry and never buy his son another french fry again to teach his son a lesson, or the father could "bury" his son in french fries. The father thinks, "Why is my son selfish, I have given him a whole package of french fries;  I just want one french fry."  Although God has given us money and talents and time, when He asks for a tithe of those gifts, people sometimes figuratively slap His hand and say, "Keep Your hands off what is mine."  But, of course, we know in our hearts that God owns everything we have. He simply wants us to learn the blessings of sharing and giving: 1. to manage what we have for His glory and the good of his creation and 2. to give back a portion of what he has given us.