Growing up, my Mom taught my sister and I about being good stewards. She taught us that everything we had belonged to God and was a gift from God. This included our home, our clothes, our toys, our schoolwork---everything. Because everything belonged to God, we needed to be “good stewards” and take care of it for Him. As Jesus taught in the parable of the talents, someday we will give an account to God for how we take care of the things He gives us to manage for Him.
Because I grew up being taught this principle and watching my Mom set the example of being a good steward, it came naturally for my sister and I to see our lives within the scope of the stewardship principle. It was normal for us to think:
We must take care of our possessions because they belong to God.
We needed to pick up our toys and hang up our clothes because they belonged to God.
We need to keep our house clean because it belongs to God.
We need to study hard in school and do our best because our education is a gift from God.
We knew we had to do our best when we got jobs because we were working for God.
When it came to choosing a life path, we knew the decision wasn’t ours, but rather, we needed to seek God’s will for our lives because, ultimately, our lives belonged to God.
“The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it;” (Psalm 24:1, NIV)
Matthew 25:14-30 reads,
For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property.
To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.
He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. 1But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money.
Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’
His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’
And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’
He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’
But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents.
For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ (ESV)
What do the above Scriptures have in common? Both teach us an essential rule for living in God's kingdom and managing our lives and finances in God's way. They illustrate The Stewardship Principle.
This principle teaches us that everything in the world belongs to God. (Psalm 24:1; Psalm 50:10)
As Christians, we acknowledge that everything in our lives, including our very lives, belongs to God. This includes our bodies, our time, our jobs, our families, all of our possessions, and our finances.
The other side of the Stewardship Principles is that although God owns everything, He has made us His stewards or managers. Our job is to manage what He has given us to the best of our ability and for His glory.
The Stewardship Principle is an inclusive way of thinking encompassing every area of your life, including all your money.
According to the Stewardship Principle, any income you have from any source was given to you by God and belongs to Him.
You have a salary because God allowed you to find a job and gave you the health, skills, and abilities to do your job.
Any money you inherited was a blessing from God. If you made money on an investment, God allowed it to thrive so you could be blessed.
No matter what your source of income is, it comes from God, and He has chosen to entrust you with the responsibility of managing it.
Looking at your finances from this angle, you see your enormous responsibility to manage your money wisely. Like the servants in the parable of the talents, you have been given your Master's money to manage, and someday, He will require you to give an account for how you invested and managed His money. Knowing this, we realize the seriousness of learning God's money-managing principles and applying them in our lives. This principle should move us to action.
What actions?
First, the Stewardship Principle should challenge us to do all we can to learn what the Bible says about money.
Many excellent books on the subject include Dave Ramsey's "A Guide to Financial Freedom." Still, one of the best ways to learn what the Bible says about money is to do a word search and read all of the Scriptures that say something about money or finances. (You'll be surprised how many there are!)
If you feel that task is too daunting, start with the book of Proverbs. Read the entire book and highlight or write every verse about managing money, work, debt, saving, giving, or stewardship. As you're reading, remember these commands God wants us to obey. It's the guidebook for being good stewards of all He's given us.
As you research what God has to say about money, find practical ways to apply it to your life.
Remember that obeying God's Word is the first step to being a good steward of all He's given you.
It isn't enough to know what to do. We need to do it if we want to hear the words, "Well done, good and faithful servant."
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