Responsibility

 

This is not something that most like to talk about but today I want to give you some thoughts on stewardship.  I believe the overall importance of the spiritual discipline of stewardship teaches us mainly responsibility. It teaches us that we are responsible for every area of our life.  God has entrusted us with so much, and yet for the most part we as believers don't recognize that responsibility.  Jesus uses many parables and narratives to teach this discipline, the following is by far one of my personal favorites:

 

14 “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them.   15 To one he gave five talents a of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey.   16 The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more.   17 So also, the one with the two talents gained two more.   18 But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. 19 “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them.   20 The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.’ 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!’ 22 “The man with the two talents also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.’ 23 “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!’ 24 “Then the man who had received the one talent came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed.   25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’ 26 “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed?   27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. 28 “‘Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents.   29 For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.  (Mt 25:14-29., NIV)

The overall lesson is wrapped up in verse 29, when you show you can be responsible with what you are given, God will enstrust you with more to be responsible for.  However, if you can't be responsible with what He has already entrusted you will don't expect Him to grant you with more until you do.

 

We have to learn to be responsible not only with our finances, but also with our time and the gifts God has given.  When it comes to finances and talents we are all gifted differently.  On the other hand, the one we all share in equally is time.  Each and every one of us are granted 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and 365 days a year, the hovering question is are you being fiscally responsible with it.  You can tithe your finances and still miss the point of stewardship if you fail at being responsible with all areas of life.

 

Chris