What is stewardship?
It's the careful & responsible management of something entrusted to one’s care.
Stewardship isn’t just about handling our money and possessions well but in all aspects of our lives. He’s entrusted with resources to use for the expansion of His kingdom: time, talents, treasures (finances), and the testimony of our transformation in Christ.
Faithful stewardship requires us to understand that everything belongs to God and He’s simply allowing us to steward what He’s given us.
God created the heavens and the earth, called everything good and then He made man and woman. He then gave Adam and Eve the assignment to tend to the garden that He had made.
God blessed them and called them to be fruitful and multiply.
Sometimes an answered prayer looks like work: God doesn’t always bless us with the result; He gives us the seed and we get to do our part and He does the increase in due season at the appointed time.
Faithful stewardship requires partnership with the Holy Spirit who teaches us in the ways of righteousness. It is only through dependence on the Lord that we're able to cultivate an excellent spirit in all that He blesses us to steward.
You can be faithful in your stewardship even if you have imperfections.
God can still use you.
David was a fornicator and murderer but God still used him.
Apostle Paul murdered Christians before encountering the Lord and he was still used mightily for the kingdom of God.
You may have a past that was displeasing to God but the blood of Jesus washes you clean, white as snow.
God can do immeasurably more but that requires you to get to the end of you and walk out your obedience.
Keys to faithful stewardship:
1. Love the Lord
This is a principle of priority. When Jesus was asked what’s the greatest commandment, He responded “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:36-39).
We first serve God above all then serve others.
Jesus says in Matthew 6:33 — “Seek 1st the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”
If you want to be blessed, do things God’s way. The best way to learn how to do things His way is to get into His presence and seek His wisdom and instructions.
When we seek Him 1st, He provides everything we need to proceed according to His plans and purposes.
2. Live according to the word of God
As believers, followers & disciples of Jesus Christ, we must be willing to live set apart lives.
Jesus calls us the salt and light of the world commanding us to let our light shine before men so they may see and glorify our Father in heaven.
Matthew 5:13-16 -- ““You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
Paul says in Romans 12:1-2 — “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
We get to make the decision daily to conform to godly patterns & wisdom not worldly ones.
When we aim to live as faithful stewards of all that God has given to us, we’ll also do regular inventory: First, evaluate, reflect & take accountability for every area of your life. Then surrender and let go of old patterns and ways of thinking (living an active lifestyle of repentance).
Repentance simply put is to make a decision to change our mind about what we were once doing that’s displeasing to the Lord.
It is the Holy Spirit who reveals when there is something we are missing the mark on or something that’s diverting our attention from trusting in God
Do your part to the best of your ability & surrender the rest to God.
3. Labor in love & nurture your relationships
How we treat others is a reflection of the encounter and depth of how we’ve experienced the love of God
John 15:9-13 — “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you’ abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you, that My joy remain in you, and that your joy may be full. This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”
1 John 4:7-8 — “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.”
Not only is partnership with the Holy Spirit crucial to faithful stewardship, kingdom partnerships are crucial as well.
When you see a healthy church flock, it's led by a healthy shepherd. When you see a healthy business, it's attributed to a healthy owner. When you see fruitful children operating in their gifts, point to the healthy parents that raised them up.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 — “Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up.”
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 — “Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”
Love can also mean loving someone from afar and praying for them. Jesus loved His family but also recognized that He couldn’t do miracles in His hometown because of their unbelief.
Matthew 13:53-58 -- “Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these parables, that He departed from there. When He had come to His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, “Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works? Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas? And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this Man get all these things?” So they were offended at Him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house.” Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.”
Click here to watch the podcast on How to be a faithful steward.
Stay in the word to be a faithful steward of all God has given you
