This means more than giving in the offering plates once or twice a month for benevolent causes. And how much we read in the Bible of the need of helping the poor. Remember that at a time when most of us have received much, Christ's church and many kingdom causes urgently need financial support. We must serve God with converted pocket-books. This implies that we may not murmur or complain, as the Israelites did in the wilderness. We must do this daily, thanking Him for all His gifts. Have there ever been Christians to whom He has given more than to us? And we are stewards. And as Christians He has also given us material abundance. God has given us Himself in the gift of Jesus Christ. This has to begin in our hearts, thankful to Him and loving Him. God wants us to be faithful, dependable and always return to Him as He has given to us. No boss would consider "hiring" a man who he knew would not be honest and reliable. This verse of 1 Corinthians 4 says that stewards must be faithful, trustworthy and reliable. He wants us to do this with renewed and loving hearts and minds. He doesn't want us to be robots, acting mechanically in this, but as rational, moral, responsible Christians. While we may enjoy the good gifts given us, and have a "good" living, we must do this responsibly, serving the Lord with what we have and enjoy. Paul says to Timothy in another place that the Lord has richly given us all things to enjoy. That's what the Scripture means when it says that we are the Lord's.
With them we must serve the Lord, in gratitude for the great salvation given us. A good steward in Bible times wouldn't think of taking for himself what belonged to his master.Īll of our earthly possessions, money, time, and talents are for the Lord. This means that they all are also for the Lord, not for ourselves. Remember that all you have is of the Lord.īut we are stewards. True, but also the ability to work, to do business, was and is of the Lord. We might object to this by saying that we worked for what we received. The crops of the farmer, the wages of the labouring man and all the financial returns of the businessman are of the Lord. Let's consider this in the fall of the year, the thanksgiving season. The earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof. Of these, we are to be stewards for the Lord.Ī good steward is one who realizes first of all that all he has is of and from the Lord. And that is, first of all, the great gifts of salvation, as well as many spiritual and material gifts. This was his instruction from the Lord Jesus Christ.Ĭhristians are also stewards, "managers" of the Lord, of what He has given us. He had to take scrupulous care of that which was entrusted to him, and give it to others faithfully. Paul says here that he was a steward of the mysteries of God.
The disciples were stewards of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. He was always accountable to his master and at times had to give reports of his work and business.
Given charge of his master's affairs and business, he often faced the temptation to keep things for himself. He was entrusted with something, often much. Every household of distinction seems to have had a steward in charge.Ī steward generally had to manage the affairs of his master. The role also seems to have been familiar in Christ's day. Joseph apparently was steward in Potiphar's house. Jacob for a time was steward of his uncle Laban's cattle. In this Scripture we read about stewards, and the assumption that stewards should be faithful. Even though our countries are by no means what they should be, morally and spiritually, we should be thankful that we have governments that set aside such a day. Abraham Lincoln was the first president to make this a national holiday. it began long ago with our Pilgrim fathers. In the month of November we observe Thanksgiving Day, both in the U.S.
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