Shrewd

In our staff meeting yesterday, we were asked what it meant to be shrewd. Luke 16:1-8 uses shrewd in a positive light. To me, shrewd means being wise and using your resources (time, money, etc) to the best of your ability. For my ministry with Young Life, shrewd means to know kids names. It means studying my yearbook so I don't forget their name the next time I see them. It means initiating conversation with them in the halls of their school. It means being available, even if I have to drop something else I want to do. It means being wise with how I spend my money. It means being a person who is more concerned with giving than receiving. It means being wise (not lazy and fearful) with the talents the Lord has entrusted me with. It means showing up at their school everyday.

The discussion on being shrewd opened up another thing I realized about myself. I become so regimented in my day-to-day stuff that not only do I become numb to what is going on around me, I get mad when I am interrupted. It is easier for me to turn my heart off to get my list of things done; I put myself on auto-pilot and run through my day. I went into my summer completely numb. I was exhausted and had nothing left to give, so instead of engaging my heart, I tried to just get through the days feeling as little as I could. I wasn't being shrewd. It is easier to have the "just get it done attitude" than to engage my heart and be purposeful, discerning, and keen.

I need to be shrewd to be with kids and I want that in my life, so my prayer today is that the Lord teach me how that is suppose to look. I don't want to walk through life feeling numb. I want to be shrewd.