500 Pesos and a Gun

This morning I presented the exhortation for the municipal officers of the Philippines National Police. They are the ones who have jurisdiction for the local town.

My topic was stewardship. So to start off, I asked one of the officers to hold a 500 peso bill for me. After reading a few passages about debt and generosity, I asked them whose money it was that the officer was holding. I was relieved when the room full of armed strangers all agreed that it was my money. As such, the officer was accountable to me for how the money was used. In the same way, we are accountable to God for everything He has given us - which is everything we are and everything we have. He has told us how we are to use it. Therefore, stewardship is using what He has given us as He has told us. (I did get the money back.)

What made today different than the other times I have presented, for either the provincial or municipal PNP, occurred later in the day. Lisa, Alayna, Annalise, and I were out marketing. Three of the officers stopped me at different times to introduce themselves. In the meeting, I don't have the opportunity to just chat because I talk after the flag ceremony ends and their staff meeting begins. It was fun to see the girls' reaction as I introduced one of the officers by saying, "This officer held my money for me earlier."

There are times I feel like what I am doing isn't making much difference, then something like this happens. God reminds me that relationships take time and often grow when you aren't watching.

Grace,

Tom