So then each of us shall give account of himself to God.
Romans 14:12
Usually the first thing that comes to mind when we hear the word “stewardship” is the proper use of material resources, money or tithing. Although that certainly applies to this word, an examination of Webster’s definition reveals how far reaching stewardship is for the Christian.
Stewardship is the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one’s care.
Merriam-Webster Dictionary
John Hall, pastor, Field Street Baptist Church, Cleburne, Texas (my pastor) revealed just how all encompassing stewardship is when he said,
We will answer to God for the stewardship of our lives.
John MacArthur, pastor-teacher, Grace Community Church, Sun Valley, California, declared that:
All Christians are but God’s stewards. Everything we have is on loan from the Lord, entrusted to us for a while to use in serving Him.
R. T. Kendall, pastor of Westminster Chapel for 25 years, further clarifies this point in his book Imitating Christ when he said,
Finally, the sign of the servant is that he is one who can be trusted. My friend Joseph Ton put it like this to me: “Nothing is given to us on the basis of ownership, only stewardship.” It is required among stewards that a man be found faithful. Each of us has been entrusted with a gift. You have something nobody else has. The very gift you have, when it is used at the right moment, could be the very crux of all that is happening. Your gift, used at the moment when God wants it used, can be the hinge on which everything turns. God has trusted you with it. It is yours to perfect, develop, and to use whenever you are called upon to do so.
Richard L. Blake, Founder and President of Xtend Ministries International (my husband), also clearly made this point in his lectures on “How to Manage Money”.
God is observing what we do with our time, our talent, and our treasure. What may seem such little things to us are major factors in God’s decision to commend and promote us—or reprimand and demote us—in his Kingdom. Therefore, we must ask ourselves, “What opportunities are we missing, or one day will miss, because we have failed to use our money and other resources wisely?”
For the next few blog posts, I am going to share portions of my introduction to a full day’s teaching on the subject of stewardship. In examining how far-reaching our stewardship really is, we will look at a biblical foundation for our calling as stewards.
The amazing thing about being a Christian is that God Himself has entrusted His resources to us. He doesn’t need us to manage anything for Him, but because He loves us, He wants us to. He has made us part of His family and as such, delights in watching us use and enjoy the gifts He has given.
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