Podcasts

Called to Serve

Published on: by Joe Galloway Comment

Jesus teaches that we are called to serve others. He tells us in Mark 9:35 that if we wish to be first, we shall be the last of all and the servant of all. We put ourselves last and sacrifice for the good of others. To sacrifice sounds like hardship, not an activity we’d enthusiastically seek out. But, did you know that sacrifice means to make sacred, to make holy? 

When we love someone, we want to serve them, we want to sacrifice for them. It’s almost that we can’t help but do for them. We give to who and what we love. We love God, and so we give to Him. We are called to love our neighbor as ourselves. So we give to our neighbor’s need out of love for God. Jesus tells us that whatever we do for the least of our brothers and sisters, we do for Him. 

We humble ourselves when we put other’s needs ahead of our own. When we share our resources of time, talent, and treasure to serve others, we sacrifice. In this, we make our giving holy and those we serve become sacred. St. Peter reminds us in his first letter, “As he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in every aspect of your conduct.”  When our conduct includes sacrificial giving, we become more holy, we grow closer to God. That’s what’s most important. That’s what makes us truly happy. There is no happiness without holiness.

We read last week in James that faith without works is dead. Stewardship puts our faith into action. This is who we are. This is how we conduct ourselves. It is in giving to and serving the least among us that we become holy. Our works make an impact for the good of God’s kingdom. In this holy giving, we receive more than we could ever possess on our own. What can you do and give in service to others? 

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Ephphatha – Be Opened!

Published on: by Joe Galloway Comment

We hear God say to us who have fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear! Here is your God, he comes with vindication; With divine recompense he comes to save you. Then the eyes of the blind shall see, and the ears of the deaf be opened; Then the lame shall leap like a stag, and the mute tongue sing for joy. For waters will burst forth in the wilderness, and streams in the Arabah (Isaiah 35:4-6). Then in Mark 7 where Jesus healed the deaf mute, He cries out, “Ephphatha!” That is, “Be opened!”

What we see in these verses is that

  • God transforms:  the blind see, the deaf hear
  • God provides:  streams burst forth in the desert
  • God commands us – be open, Ephphatha!

So, Be open to the Word of God and the prompting of the Holy Spirit. Be open to trusting Him to provide. Be open to courageous generosity, showing no partiality (Js 2:1). Open to the poor person who begs you. Open to caring for your neighbors and their needs. Open to protecting the unborn and helping young women choose life.  Open to sharing your time, talent, and treasure. 

When I opened up to trusting God and the Holy Spirit, I got a sense of peace I can’t quite explain. When I stepped out in faith and started giving intentionally, I got a release from stress and worry. I hear this from others, too,  who give sacrificially.  I want you to have this peace. I want you to be free of anxiety. So, Be Open. Trust God, and give to serve the poor. And in that, get the peace beyond understanding, the peace that only comes from God.  

Photo Credit: Robert Davis

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Give and Do. Do and Give.

Published on: by Joe Galloway Comment

Do not be deceived, my beloved: all good giving and every perfect gift is from above. Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deluding yourselves. (James 1:16-17,22) What a great stewardship verse. Everything is from God. It is not enough to hear this truth. We must put it into practice. We must Give and Do. 

Foundational to Stewardship is acknowledging God gives us everything. He is the origin of all good giving and every perfect gift. And His most perfect gift is Jesus. His unconditional love. His mercy and forgiveness. His dying on the cross for our sins. This truth is overwhelming. As good stewards, we respond to Him in overwhelming gratitude by receiving His gifts gratefully, developing them and returning them to Him by giving and serving others. Knowing about this is easy enough. Doing it is the hard part. 

The Church in her wisdom gives us the perfect framework for putting stewardship into practice: Pray, Fast, Give Alms. We focus on these in Lent, but they are important all year long. Praying aligns our life with God. Fasting detaches us from ourselves and from our desires. Almsgiving puts God first in our finances and declares our companionship with the poor. 

Praying, fasting, and giving alms are ways to do the word. Are you a doer of the word? Do you give your time in prayer and your talent in service to those in need? Do you fast from desiring more stuff so that you may share your treasure in proportion to the blessings God gives to you?

Observe the commandments carefully (Dt. 4:1,6). Act on them; be doers of the Word. Do not delude yourself that you can pick and choose which to obey – especially those about giving to the Lord of your time, talent, AND treasure. Give and Do. Do and give.

Photo Credit: Robert Davis

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Everything is Gift

Published on: by Joe Galloway Comment

God owns everything and God gives us everything – every single thing. Every moment of time. Every ounce of talent and ability. Every dime of treasure we earn when we employ our talents through time. This truth lays the foundation of what our mindset should be towards money. Living Stewardship means we embrace this truth. We acknowledge that everything we have and everything we are is gift from God. And so in overwhelming gratefulness, we receive HIs gifts, we manage them well, and in all humility, we respond to God’s love and blessings by generously sharing these resources – including money – with those in need.

This can be a hard teaching for some of us. We may be tempted to down-play or ignore the Church’s teachings and the Bible passages on giving. But the Church doesn’t back down much like what we read in Chapter 6 of John’s Gospel about Jesus’ teaching that He is the bread of life, that we must consume His body and blood or we don’t have life within us. The disciples were incredulous. Many of them left – His words were too hard to accept. But He didn’t back down. He looks intently at us, like He did the twelve, and asks, “Do we want to leave?” Hopefully, we respond as Peter did, “To whom shall we go?” 

Let’s stand up for what we believe and boldly state like Joshua that today we will serve the Lord (Josh 24:15). Let’s decide that today we will trust God, put Him first, and give generously and courageously of all of our gifts of time, talent, AND treasure. 

                                                                                                                                                                    Photo Credit: Robert Davis

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Watch Carefully How You Live

Published on: by Joe Galloway Comment

Paul tells us through Ephesians 5:15-17,20, “Watch carefully then how you live, not as foolish persons but as wise, making the most of the opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore, do not continue in ignorance, but try to understand what is the will of the Lord…Giving thanks always and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father.”

We are to be thoughtful, to watch carefully how we live, trying to understand the will of God for our lives.

Let’s consider a few verses that will help  us understand God’s will for us.

  • John 6:29   This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent.
  • John 6:39-40   This is the will of the one who sent me, that I should not lose anything of what he gave me, but that I should raise it [on] the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him [on] the last day.
  • 1 Cor. 10:31   Whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.
  • 1 Thess. 4:3   This is the will of God, your holiness: that you refrain from immorality.
  • 1 Thess. 5:14-18   We urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, cheer the fainthearted, support the weak, be patient with all. See that no one returns evil for evil; rather, always seek what is good [both] for each other and for all. Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.
  • 1 Pet. 2:15   For it is the will of God that by doing good you may silence the ignorance of foolish people.


The Word of God tells us of the will of God. It tells us what He calls us to do. St. Paul tells us in Romans 12:2, “Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect.” Embracing Stewardship as a way of life gives us that framework. It gives us the strength and courage to live counter-culturally, to renew our minds and transform our lives so that we make the most of every opportunity to use our Time, Talents, and Treasure to serve others and glorify God. 

Be grateful for all of God’s gifts to you. Give thanks always. Be the Steward that God wills you to be. 

Thomas Merton, in No Man is an Island, says, “Gratitude shows reverence to God in the way it makes use of His gifts.” (110)

                                                                                                                                                                   Photo Credit: Robert Davis

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