Stewardship

Too often we restrict the meaning of the word “stewardship” to simply giving money, but there is far more to it. The word in its broader definition refers to the administration of a household, estate, or economy. Its Biblical use indicates that God has made us managers of His glorious creation, and we are accountable to Him. The giving of our money then has two primary motivations.

The first motivation comes from the role that God has assigned us, as it is expressed in 1 Corinthians 3:9. In that passage the Apostle Paul calls us “fellow laborers” or “partners” with God.  So God brings Creation to the partnership, and we bring ourselves and our service as managers of His Creation.

The second motivation springs from our love for God as our Father. In Romans 8:15 we are told that we have received “the Spirit of adoption,” and that adoption makes us able to call God “Father" in the most intimate term (as we would affectionately call our father “Daddy” or “Papa.”) Because of that love, God says in His word that we are to give joyfully, freely, faithfully, and proportionately as we have been blessed. Our Lord said it so beautifully when He said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” See Acts 20:35.

In summary, God requires faithfulness in stewardship, not for His benefit, but for ours. While He owns “all the cattle on a thousand hills,” and doesn’t require anything from our hands, He has given us the joy of glorifying Him through our faithful stewardship.