Choosing Well: The Keys to Good StewardshipSample

Self-Governance

When choosing well, we need the right set of standards and values to help us. The best set we can ever find are contained in Scripture in the words of Jesus Christ. The caveat here is that often we don’t choose according to these values or standards, but according to our passions, desires, emotions, or reasonings. It is hard to choose well if we can’t govern ourselves.

Self-governance is a fruit of the Spirit. It means we curb our selfishness and choose to love our neighbor as ourselves. When we self-govern to follow God’s values and standards, we see God as our King. We serve Him as our Lord by stewarding our own lives, completely aware that we are accountable to Him.

When we fail to govern ourselves by the Spirit of God, we then submit to the slavery of sin. At a personal level, the tyrant is our flesh. That’s why, before knowing Jesus, we couldn’t bring ourselves to practice His values and standards.

Romans 1 gives a sobering warning. If we insist on pursuing our lusts, God will relent, and “give us over” to the flesh. To be ruled by the tyrant. If we persist, we are “given over” to a “debased mind” — we are no longer able to govern ourselves. We can’t even think straight.

Sin leads to addiction, then to loss of perspective. So why does sin still seem so attractive?

We are drawn to what appears to be the easy road, the comfortable path. We are drawn to be like the rest of the world. We are drawn to the tyrant.

We want a quick fix, an easy out, a simple solution. Like all things superficial, the tyrant of the flesh offers ease, understanding, and control.

Self-governance is harder. It is complex and humbling. It is hard to wrap our heads around or hold in our hands. It leads us to “acknowledge God” rather than lean on our power and understanding.

To be self-governing, we must choose to trust God over self. Submit to the Spirit rather than the flesh.

Lord, I am determined to choose well. As I have experienced many times, without Your standards and without the power of Your Spirit I am completely lost to sin. Please, come and fill me with Your Spirit so that I can bear the fruit of self-governance that will give You glory forever.