In His ImageSample

Day 4: Dominion and Stewardship

Discover: God declared what He made on the sixth day was "very good." It was not merely "very good" in human terms, which might acknowledge slight imperfections, but the literal Hebrew term means "exceedingly good.” In God’s omniscience, sovereignty, beauty, and perfect knowledge, He proclaims that what He makes is "exceedingly good." And in it, He is delighted. The goodness of this world displays God’s glory, making His glory known throughout all of creation. There is no sin, death, disorder, brokenness, natural disasters, or pollution, and ultimately, no separation in our unity with God. The Kingdom of Heaven is as it should be as man walks with God, reflecting His image at the beginning of Creation. There are many attributes which show how humanity is made in the image of God, but one of the first commands which demonstrates this is found in this passage, directing man to rule over the earth. Mankind is the only being with the capacity to lead and take dominion over what God creates. In doing so, God provides us with everything necessary on this earth to accomplish this task.

Learn: While God’s intent is clear, when we examine the perfect picture of creation, it becomes evident perfection is not in our world today. This is a direct result of choosing glory for ourselves. Our pride leads us to distort the dominion given by God; we believe we can improve upon His creation. However, our accomplishments pale in comparison to His goodness. Our longing for glory clouds our judgment and causes us to forget that our worth lies only in God’s image. In our pursuit of greatness, we forget that our creations can never match the goodness inherent in God's work. Only He can do good. It is impossible for us to do anything good without Him. We must realize that what God commands us to steward and rule over is only good when we humbly acknowledge it is He who gives it to us, accomplishes it through us, and receives the glory from us.

Apply: 1 Corinthians 10:31 reminds us that everything we do must be done for the glory of the Lord. This means approaching our responsibilities, whether in our families, workplaces, or communities, with a mindset of stewardship. We must recognize what we have is given by God for His Kingdom, rather than for our pride and our kingdom. Everything we possess originates from God. Thus, when we steward our possessions well, we fulfill God’s plan. Consider how your resources, talents, and influence can reflect God's image and bring glory to Him. This involves consciously choosing humility and attributing credit to the Lord. By doing so, we actively contribute to building the kingdom of God. Think about what you could directly steward. How can you shift your focus to ensure everything you do is done for the glory of the Lord rather than for personal gain?