For the earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof. (1 Corinthians 10:26, ESV)
The very first principle of stewardship is that everything belongs to the Lord. He is the maker, the creator, and the owner. If we miss this first and most important emphasis of stewardship, we will get everything else wrong.
As I sit here writing this, I have some money in my pocket. But that money is not mine. It is God’s money. I am holding it at this moment, but there will come a day that someone else will be holding it. The big question is how will I use it while I am in possession of it. Will I make sure it gets to where it is intended to go?
Think about the mailman. He is entrusted with the mail. He does not own the mail, but he possesses the mail. He is a steward of the mail. The job of the mailman is to ensure the package he possesses gets to the intended destination of the owner. We are a lot like that mailman with the things God entrusts to us.
The less we perceive ourselves as owners and more as stewards the better we will be. The more we will get right. The healthier our relationship will be with the stuff we possess.
God has called us to manage the stuff that he has entrusted to us. And we will need to give an account for how we managed that stuff. Did we use it all in a responsible way that honored the desires of the true owner? Tomorrow we will talk about the different destinations the owner intends.
Reflection
- Do you agree that God is the owner of all things? Do you live in such a way that supports your answer to that question?
- What can you do differently with your possessions to honor the true owner?
Prayer
Lord, thank you for everything you have entrusted to me. Help me to live with humility to recognize who is the true owner. Give me the wisdom to manage the resources I possess in a way that honors you. May the love for stuff never draw me away from you. Amen.
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