What do you think of when you hear the word stewardship?
Perhaps like many people, your mind immediately turns to money, giving, financial management, church budgets, etc. While it is true that stewardship does involve finances, God is clear throughout His Word that He owns everything. Christ purchased us with His blood, our very lives are not our own. Therefore, stewardship encompasses all of life.
Nothing in our lives—spouse, kids, friendships, jobs, time, money, talents—belongs to us. It all belongs to God. We are simply stewards, or managers, of these areas that He has entrusted to us. However, stewardship is so much more than good management principles.
Stewardship is a Gospel-motivated, responsive posture that acknowledges that God purchased me at great price. It is not simply something we” have to do,” but rather something we “get to do” in response to what He has done for us.
Responsive stewardship begins and ends with the Gospel. The Gospel establishes our true identity in Him which frees us from finding it in other things or people and allows us to respond to the Spirit’s leading with everything God has placed in our hands (time, talent, treasure, relationships, etc.) to achieve His purposes for His glory (i.e., to put the Gospel on display).
