Gifts and Oppotunities
Tonight I was a guest on the national TV show Scarborough Country on MSNBC with host Joe Scarborough. I was responding to The Da Vinci Code book (by Dan Brown), but more specificially to the upcoming Da Vinci Code movie (directed by Ron Howard) to be released May 19th.
It is my 13th or 14th, or possibly 15th time on a national [secular] TV show, discussing The Da Vinci Code. I have had the privilege of bieng on NBC, MSNBC, FOX, CNN and CNBC. In addition, over the last 8 or so years, I have done hundreds (maybe 300-400 or more - I am not sure how many) radio interviews.
Most of the radio interviews have been on Christian stations. Some have been on secular stations. Some of the stations are small - in limited markets. Some are in the largest metropolitan areas, such as New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles. Others are on networks of up to 250 stations covering most of the United States.
I have approached every single interview with the same mindset: "this is a WONDERFUL privilege that I have been given. I have a small amount of influence. It is not much. But I have been given some. I will treat it carefully. I have the privilege of 'stewarding' [key word = 'stewarding'] this influence."
A "steward" is a person who has something that does not below to him/her. The "steward" is to have oversight of an item, for the one who owns it.
What is the application, you ask. My influence, your influence is a gift from God. We have it for such a short time - and then it is gone. We grow old, pass away, and someone else is given influence. This gift (influence) is NOT ours. It is God's. Thus we must "steward" it. We must treat it with such respect.
Back to the point: tonight I was on Scarborough Country on MSNBC at approximate 7:30pm Pacific Standard Time. And as I went on the air, I thought, "what a privilege I have been given." And so I prayed: "Lord, this influence is yours. It is not mine. I am 'stewarding' it to the best of my ability. It is not about me. It is all about you. Thank you for entrusting to me such a spectacular gift. I treasure it. I treat it with upmost respect. Help me not to bring embarassment to you in any way. I pray that when I am done with this interview in a few moments that people will think more highly of this Jesus I serve. Amen."
My interviews, like so much of life, are "treasures." Treasures to be valued, treated with great respect. It is easy, after doing a national TV prime time interview, to become careless in attitude towards an interview on a tiny radio station in some unknown town. But I refuse to do that. I treat them with respect. Because influence, whether on a national prime time TV show, or on a midday radio show in a town of 1,500, is a wonderful gift.
Thank you Lord for the special treasures of life - in whatever form they come.
It is my 13th or 14th, or possibly 15th time on a national [secular] TV show, discussing The Da Vinci Code. I have had the privilege of bieng on NBC, MSNBC, FOX, CNN and CNBC. In addition, over the last 8 or so years, I have done hundreds (maybe 300-400 or more - I am not sure how many) radio interviews.
Most of the radio interviews have been on Christian stations. Some have been on secular stations. Some of the stations are small - in limited markets. Some are in the largest metropolitan areas, such as New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles. Others are on networks of up to 250 stations covering most of the United States.
I have approached every single interview with the same mindset: "this is a WONDERFUL privilege that I have been given. I have a small amount of influence. It is not much. But I have been given some. I will treat it carefully. I have the privilege of 'stewarding' [key word = 'stewarding'] this influence."
A "steward" is a person who has something that does not below to him/her. The "steward" is to have oversight of an item, for the one who owns it.
What is the application, you ask. My influence, your influence is a gift from God. We have it for such a short time - and then it is gone. We grow old, pass away, and someone else is given influence. This gift (influence) is NOT ours. It is God's. Thus we must "steward" it. We must treat it with such respect.
Back to the point: tonight I was on Scarborough Country on MSNBC at approximate 7:30pm Pacific Standard Time. And as I went on the air, I thought, "what a privilege I have been given." And so I prayed: "Lord, this influence is yours. It is not mine. I am 'stewarding' it to the best of my ability. It is not about me. It is all about you. Thank you for entrusting to me such a spectacular gift. I treasure it. I treat it with upmost respect. Help me not to bring embarassment to you in any way. I pray that when I am done with this interview in a few moments that people will think more highly of this Jesus I serve. Amen."
My interviews, like so much of life, are "treasures." Treasures to be valued, treated with great respect. It is easy, after doing a national TV prime time interview, to become careless in attitude towards an interview on a tiny radio station in some unknown town. But I refuse to do that. I treat them with respect. Because influence, whether on a national prime time TV show, or on a midday radio show in a town of 1,500, is a wonderful gift.
Thank you Lord for the special treasures of life - in whatever form they come.
posted by jimgarlow at
11:03 PM
