Let’s See You Make One

“Joan of Arcadia” was a television series in which God regularly appeared as various unusual people to speak to and reveal truths to Joan, a high school student. In a very early episode, where Joan is still wrestling with accepting that God is manifesting himself in human form to speak to her, she asks for proof.

The conversation with God goes something like this: “Show me some proof. Show me a miracle,” Joan demands. God says okay and points to a tree. Joan asks what God is pointing to. God responds that he is pointing to a tree. Joan exclaims “You call that a miracle!?!” The Lord responds, “Okay. Let’s see you make one.”

A central challenge to our stewardship is illuminated in that simple and amusing exchange. As a culture, we have developed a great sense of power, perhaps even arrogance, regarding all creation because of the many advancements that humankind has made over the ages. We tend to see ourselves as powerful creators, as being in control.

We take for granted the truly wondrous creation around us because it’s just always there. It doesn’t require our attention. It’s not one of the advanced machines that humans have created. It’s not a house built with human hands, following a human design, paid for with human capital.

We tend to see the human endeavor as the power behind the creation we experience. God’s creation is background. It’s not a conscious thought for most people. Were we conscious of it, we would stand in great awe, and appreciation, of every single thing around us. We also tend to forget that all of the wondrous creations of human ingenuity are created with the basic materials that God provides us, using the skills that God provides, with the intellect that God provides.

A simple example: how do you feel when there is a power failure? We all tend to take the flick of the switch to turn on a light for granted. It gives us a certain sense of being in control to know that our flicking that switch will bring us light. When the power goes out, we experience great discomfort. The discomfort comes not just because we don’t have electricity, but also because all the many unknowns behind the power switch are revealed as beyond our control. It rarely occurs to us that something wondrous provides something so important to us. We just take it for granted.

It’s no wonder that our stewardship is often in need of improvement. Were we to truly comprehend what a miracle all creation is, what a gift from God every single created thing is, we could only live in thanksgiving. We would feel duty-bound to share God’s abundance, to use God’s gracious provision as he would have us use it.

Even your ability to read this message is a gift from God. He has granted you eyesight. He has granted you intellect. You are alive by the grace of God. How do you show your thanks? Do you anxiously hang on to all of what God provides you? Or do you live in the understanding that all that you have is given you in stewardship to carry out work that God has in mind for you? The response is to joyously dedicate all that you have; your life, your abilities, and your possessions, to the glory of God.