Stewardship

 Steward –
‘one who carries out managerial duties
for another’s affairs or property’

Stewardship has been on the docket right from the beginning. God created earth, created humans, and entrusted the earth to their care. There was never a question of ownership. Everything belonged to God. We were invited in as caretakers of a perfectly synced, flawlessly designed world. It displayed the greatness of its Maker, and provided context for us to fellowship with Him. We were doing what we were made to do, and we were experiencing intimacy with Creator God. Perfection.

Sin’s entrance altered the ‘context’ but the principle of stewardship for followers of Jesus remains. The approach to stewardship is very different from the approach to ownership. The former implies deference and servitude. It’s an eternal endeavor. The latter is inward focused, “My stuff. My people. Mine, mine, mine.” It get’s ugly fast, and….it burns.

I cannot escape the fact that my finances, my house, my car, my talents, my work, my play, my marriage, my son, my friendships………the whole lot that makes up how I invest myself and who I invest myself in, IS NOT MINE. Not one bit of it is mine. My Father has entrusted all of it to me. I am a steward in the service of The King. That is an honor beyond description.

The earth is the Lord’s
and all its fullness,
The world, and those
who dwell therein.
For He has founded it
upon the seas
And established it
upon the waters.
~Psalm 24: 1-2 (NKJV)~