Don’t Be a Stuart



I enjoy watching Mad TV from time to time. They have pretty good characters, and my favorite is Stuart. The character of Stuart is a little kid but is played by a 6 feet plus guy easily in his 40’s (see photo to see the character) but that’s why he’s so funny. The idea behind these skits is that he’s being raised by a single mother who is bitter because her husband ran off with another woman and doesn’t discipline her son. In fact, Stuart thinks he is very talented but is just a brat. He tells people to look at him because about to do something great but all he does is jump up in the air and shakes his legs. He says, “Look what I can do” and jumps.

We all know people like that. They want people to pay attention to them because they are about to do something great or doing something great. They want people to think they are remarkable so they say “Look at what I am doing” or “Look at what I’m about to do” instead of just doing it without the attention. The reason I’m writing this is because with the earthquake in Haiti, I keep reading that Hollywood is giving money to help; Madonna is giving $250,000, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are giving $1 million, and Tiger Woods is giving $3 million. That’s great that they are helping but why do they have to shout it from the roof tops. Just give it and know that you did something good; not just for the publicity. Don’t be a Stuart.

The Bible tells us to give our time, money, property; everything to others. In the early days of the church, people were selling their stuff and giving the money to the apostles so they could help others. In Acts 5, a married couple saw that people who were doing so were getting praised by everyone else so they wanted some praise. They wanted people to notice them and their giving. It didn’t end well for them because they tried to deserve the Holy Spirit. They were doing Stuarts and saying “Look what we did” but in reality they were lying.

Christians opt to be giving of themselves in service, money, property; whatever as if no one sees them. We are called to give to all the glory to God and not ourselves. That is one of the snares that church people who are on the stage can stumble in; thinking that it’s about them but it is about God. The world likes for people to see them do good. We are called for something better; to bring God the glory. So do good and give all, but do it unto the Lord and not unto publicity. Don’t be a Stuart.