STEWARDSHIP
AND DISCIPLESHIP TOGETHER
God Uses Stewards to Manage
Continuing my discussion on
stewardship and discipleship, I want to focus on another statement I have previously
shared:
God uses stewards to manage His
resources.[1]
The following are the scriptures
that the article by Christian Stewardship Network cites about God using
stewards to manage.
Genesis
2:15 –
“The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and
take care of it.”
1
Peter 4:10
– “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as
faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”
Luke
12:48 –
“But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be
beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be
demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be
asked.”
Matthew
25:21
- “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been
faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and
share your master’s happiness!’”
Reading this statement reminded me
of something I found many years ago when I was preparing for my first workshop
on stewardship, and that is the source of the word steward, which is sty-ward,
the person in charge of caring for the pigs.
With that as the source of the word
steward, the idea that God uses stewards to management His resources makes a
lot of sense! But this statement has two parts. The first is that we are stewards,
not owners, but managers. The second part of the statement is that the
resources are God’s!
So, as a steward, we are tasked with
caring for what is owned by another, and our every need is cared for.
As we continue to discuss
stewardship and discipleship in the upcoming summer weeks, to help us prepare
for our stewardship and discipleship often done in the fall, remember, stewardship
and discipleship have to work together. One cannot exist without the
other. We aren’t effective stewards if we aren’t disciples, and we aren’t
disciples if we aren’t using the resources give to us to further God’s kingdom.
Stay
tuned for this ongoing stewardship conversation.
If you wish more information on this,
or would like to discuss stewardship and its relationship with discipleship,
please feel free to contact me at (315) 427-3668 or sranousacctg@twcny.rr.com. I’d be happy to help.
[1] Stewardship
Education that Builds Disciples, Furlong, Jessica and Dick, Don (Christian
Stewardship Network), https://www.christianstewardshipnetwork.com.
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