Do you know that there are over 2,000 plus times that the principles of stewardship is talked about in the Bible? Do you know what it means to be a faithful steward of God? According to AI Overview, the answer to that is as follows: “A steward of God is a person entrusted by God to manage, protect and care for His creation, resources, and gifts.”.
Wow! When our God calls us to share His creation, resources and gifts with others, He’s not asking us to choose only those people that we like or only those things that we care about. No. He’s telling us to take care of everything that belongs to Him! You see, our God owns everything that we see in this world and we are called to take care of it to the best of our abilities. In doing that we honor our God. Being a faithful steward of God means that we are and will be held accountable for what we do while we have this time on Earth.
So, how do we take care of everything in honor to God? We do that through taking the time to talk, pray and worship God on a daily basis. We need to rest and listen to what He tells us to do. We must be open to seeing and knowing and doing what God tells us. In other words, while our God gives us free will our greatest act of stewardship is giving our own will back to God and then asking Him to guide us even when we can’t see where we He is leading us to. (Related post: “Letting Go and Letting God”)
Also, we are being faithful and good stewards when we use the gifts that He has given us. Those gifts are our unique group of skills and achievements that we can turn around and use to help others. Perhaps you have the gift of building things or creating things or planting things or ….. We give to share with others so that they can see the hand of God in this world. (Related post: The Gifts We Bring)
In addition, we are being faithful and good stewards when we share food and possessions and time and money with others without asking for anything in return. The greatest gift is given freely without the thought of what we can get out of it in return. (Related post: In Service To Others)
Lastly, we are being faithful and good stewards when we take care of our Earth through helping find creative ways to share our resources with other countries in order to protect the land and the animals that we are entrusted with.
The meaning of stewardship can also be found in words like: benevolence, donation, generosity, giving, offering, commitment, philanthropy, tithe and welfare. Our God has given us a spirit of love and giving. I think that it’s time that we show that same spirit to others, especially when it’s hard to do so.
What did I learn from this? I see things that are happening in this world and what certain people are doing and how they are acting. I cringe because I know in my heart and soul that they are not showing God’s spirit of love and giving. I also have to stop and examine my own spirit because it is very difficult to show a loving level of stewardship when I am not really feeling loving and forgiving toward them because of what they are saying and doing. So, guess what I do? I do a WHOLE lot of prayer and reading of scripture and giving over to God what is out of my control. I know that I can’t control what others do or don’t do. However, I can control myself because I know that God will help me to see what I need to see and hear what I need to hear and know what I need to know. I trust Him to know my heart and to know that my intentions are rooted in His will, not mine. (Related post: In The Potter’s Hands)
So, what can you gain from this? I know that it’s hard to let go of our own pain and even want to serve others. However, I also know that healing only comes when you serve Him by serving others. My suggestion? Use your pain to help others. You can understand and show empathy because you’ve been there. God sees you. He knows you and He especially knows when you are willing to try to be that good and faithful steward. Also, do your best to not compare yourself to someone else. You are uniquely designed by God, so is your unique journey, as well. So, don’t turn away because you are afraid but do turn toward our God who will help you to get to where He knows that you want to be. (Related post: When God Promises… He Delivers)
A Joyful Mission 