Wellbeing: An Invitation to a Flourishing LifeSample

Stewardship, not Ownership

One of the major challenges we face is to remind ourselves that our bank balances and investments do not belong to us but have been given to us on trust by God. Jesus told a parable of three servants to whom a master entrusted his gold. Two invested their money wisely and were subsequently rewarded for their faithfulness. The servant who did nothing with the money is described as unfaithful and lost everything. This parable applies to any good gift God has entrusted to us, and money falls within this category.

The idea of stewardship goes right back to Genesis chapter two. God saw everything He had made at the beginning of creation and said it was excellent. We could say He approved of it completely and without reserve. When He put Adam into that perfection, it was not to own it but to tend and care for it, to guard and protect it. That was to look after it for the Creator—there is no sense that Adam owned anything.

God gave Adam instructions and warnings about specific behaviours that an owner would give. As we continue in Adam’s line, the same instructions and warnings apply to each of us. King David recognised this in Psalm 24 “The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to Him”.

So if God owns you, how much more does He own what you claim is yours? Let’s step into this truth and consider all we own as simple things God has given us to look after. Let us surrender all we have to Him today because it is already His.

Thought Point: If God controlled your finances, do you think He would use it the way you are? What would it look like for you to be His steward of the money you have?

Prayer Point: Ask God to help you have the courage to be a good steward of what He has given you.