Stewardship

Message:  Today I picked up a similar theme between Joshua 19, Proverbs 27 and Hebrews 2. In Joshua we continued reading the allotments that were divided up and given as an inheritance to the tribes of Israel. We have been reading these for the past several days and it feels dry to read it that way but it gives us a clear picture of the boundaries set between each tribe to know where they belonged. If we don’t know what we own or don’t own we will either take no responsibility for that ownership, or we will overtake and assert ourselves into areas that belong to other people. This is not only a financial concept but a law of nature for life in general. It’s what helps us navigate our relationships. In Proverbs 27 we read that we should know the condition of our flocks. This might seem weird if we don’t own any farmland, but in those times flocks and herds were their livelihood. Those flocks produced income and they were also used to pay for things. Again, we have to know what we own and what condition it’s in. This is true of material items we own, but it’s also true of relationships or ministries that are under our care. Material things that are not cared for lose their financial value and reliability. If we don’t maintenance our vehicles or our homes, things will break either permanently or bring down the value and cost us money. When we don’t look after people that are under our care we lose the impact and value of their purpose and so do they. In Hebrews 2 the author warns us about the importance of staying focused on the gospel and not neglecting our salvation. We are reminded that salvation came and too great a cost for us to live stagnant lives and take it for granted. Even as I write this I think about the original purpose that was given to Adam and Eve. They were supposed to be stewards and caretakers of the garden. Whether  we have a lot of things to manage, or a little we have a responsibility to know what those things are and manage them responsibility. Because we belong to God, everything we own and everything in our care belongs to him. This includes our very lives. We are called to manage and care for it all because it all belongs to him.

Leave a Reply