The four children in the first photograph carefully and responsibly kept the garland and bouquet for about two hours of the wedding service. As the bride and groom arrived at the exit door of the church after solemnising the marriage, the children offered them to the couple. The children were given the privilege to welcome the couple florally. What children did was to keep them safe to give them away!
It occurred to me while watching this pleasant scene, that a lot of what we acquire or keep to ourselves can last only for a season. A time to hand over would come sooner or later.
Yesterday, a former colleague was welcomed to rejoin the department following the completion of advanced training in the specialty. After ten years of having been responsible to oversee the department, a time has come for me to leave the responsibility to another person. I recall having been involved in a few organisations as the chairman for a season, after which I needed to pass the responsibility to others. There were three other instances where after starting an organisation or a department, I needed to leave the responsibility with others for the ongoing mission of those services.
What we are give to keep and develop will need to be left behind or handed over to others at some time.
What then ought to be the attitude towards act we are given to keep!
To regard them in the spirit of stewardship.
The current director of the Christian Medical College,Vellore Dr J.V.Peter will hand over the responsibility to the new director Dr Vikram Mathews during a formal function on this Sunday. This happens every five years. A director does not get a second term in the office.
What a message of the purpose of stewardship! Each of us is given an opportunity and a role and we are to be faithful to exercise our abilities as well as we can and subsequently entrust to others to continue this vocation.
To wanting to hold on is denial of the larger purpose of stewardship! Just as each of u sis eligible and able to discharge a responsibility, our neighbour is also getting ready in life to receive the baton from us.
At a relay race, the critical time is when the baton is handed over to a subsequent runner. The race receives larger attention than an individual runner. An individual runner contributes to the collective. A solo runner does not create a relay race.
I get a new enthusiasm about being faithful to do all that is committed to me diligently. One responsibility that I have struggled to do well on time in the recent months, is writing medical reports of children who visit us. The family needs it to use it for introducing the child to other professionals from whom they need further help. I have a sense of failure in making parents wait for it.
I feel challenged to be diligent about each component of my stewardship when I prepare to leave behind what has been under my care!
To be responsible enough to do what is possible and to leave the scene quietly entrusting the continuity to others is stewardship in its true spirit.
M.C.Mathew(text and photo)
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