Stewarding Well: Our time, Our talents, Our resources.

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 4:10-11

God created us with many talents. As His children, we all carry different abilities and gifts that He has planted within us. Throughout our lives, we are placed in different spaces and places to be a representation of Christ. Our job is to use everything that we have been given to live a life that brings glory to God. To do this, we must be good stewards of the resources we have, including our time, our talent, and our treasures.

Biblical stewardship is knowing that God has entrusted us with his resources to both honor him and help improve the world around us.

Stewardship- the responsible overseeing and protection of something considered worth caring for and preserving.

For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. Colossians 1:16

Everything was created by God and for God, including us. Everything we have really belongs to God made by people with minds he created and ideas he planted. Sometimes I think we get so caught up in our day to day, that we forget that we aren’t just working to live a “good life”, but we are living to build God’s kingdom. When we are striving to attain our next goal, we must stop and ask ourselves “is this going to bring God glory or is this for my own desires”. We don’t want to waste any opportunities to experience heaven on earth.

your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Matthew 6:10

When God told Adam to work and take care of the Garden, he gave him responsibility and power over the Garden. Adam was to tend to it, cultivate it, and manage it to the best of his ability.

The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. Genesis 2:15

 The time, talent, and resources that he allots each person is different, but we all are called for a specific purpose. Whatever we do, we should do it in a way that represents the Lord well. Maturing in our relationship with Christ is prioritizing what’s important to him over what our flesh desires. We should be thinking about God’s resources in ways to advance His Kingdom instead of our own.

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:17

I believe part of the reason the world is out of whack is because we are not stewarding our time and talents correctly. We spend a million minutes scrolling social media comparing and complaining about life instead of doing the will of God. We would rather watch TV than go serve our community. We would rather complain, than go make a difference. When you think about a body, each part has its own job, but all the parts must work together for the body to function properly. When you think about a HBCU band, some people have talent to play the drums, others play the cymbals, and some may be gifted in dance, but together they make the show come alive. The same is true for the world to operate as intended. We need everyone doing their part to produce a healthy society.

For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with yourfaith;if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. Romans 12:4-8

When you think about the talents that God has given you, what are you doing with them? Are you making the most of your time? Your talents? Your resources? Or are you wasting the very things that God has blessed you with?

We can’t be a good steward of our finances if we don’t spend our money wisely. We can’t be good stewards if we don’t handle our relationships with proper care. We can’t be good stewards of God’s grace if we don’t show the same grace towards others.  We can’t be good stewards of our time if we don’t spend any of it serving others. We can’t be a good steward of our gifts if we don’t share them with the world.

God has entrusted us with these resources, which means he trusts us to use them to advance His Kingdom. To care for the less fortunate, to use our excess to bless someone else, to encourage someone, to share knowledge, or to help a neighbor in need. He wants to know that whatever he gives us will be used to accomplish something that brings him glory. How we think about God’s resources should be different than the rest of the world. We should focus on storing up treasures in heaven instead of here on earth. We should be moved by mission not money. We should steward well anything we have been given by God, our kids, our bodies, our world, our words, and even our authority in Christ.

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21

So many times we take our requests to God, and I’m sure He is wondering “what are you doing with the things I have already given you?” Does every moment of your life revolve around you? Is every dollar spent on the things you desire? If so, it’s time we change that! What are some ways you can be a better steward of God’s resources?

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 2 Peter 1:3

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