23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Stewards of people

Matthew 18:15-20

Not only are we stewards of things, we more are stewards of people.

There a quote from Max Lucado that struck me: "When you are in the final days of your life, what will you want?  Will you hug that college degree in the walnut frame?  Will you ask to be carried to the garage so you can sit in your car?  Will you find comfort in rereading your financial statement?  Of course not.  What will matter then will be people.  If relationships will matter most then, shouldn't they matter most now?"

We have to invest in shepherding people, especially our children.  But what good will it do if we don't shepherd people outside our homes?

Today's Sunday readings point us how to be good stewards of people.

First, we are to affirm them when they're right, but correct them when they are wrong.  The best gift we can give our children is a rightly formed conscience that is oriented towards God.

Second, we are become good stewards of people when we use our authority to lead them to salvation and not to perdition.  Show them God's face.

Third, we become good stewards using the rule of two's: If we can expand God's disciples by two's, this world would indeed become better.