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Godly Stewardship Produces Growth

To those who are familiar with the terrible plight faced by much of Eastern Europe after decades of communism, one fact is self-evident: without the responsible stewardship of private property and personal initiative, the ability for self-rule and productivity is lost. This is the practical message of socialism. It destroys man’s rulership capacities. And since God has called us to be kings (rulers) and priests (intercessors), anything that destroys or blunts either is not from God.

God helps us to grow up by giving us responsibility, which begins with exercising authority over someone, some talent, or some task. Without responsibility, we would put very little truth into practice. The measure of our maturity is directly related to how we care for what God has entrusted to us.

God has placed us in His earthly workshop to make us grow up and to extend His kingdom in the process. The obstacles that are within us and outside us form the “barbells” we must pump in order to grow spiritual muscles. Exercising responsibility and undergoing personal growth is the training routine of the Lord Jesus and all the franchise’s junior partners who follow Him. 

God has given each of us at least five assets for which we will have to answer to Christ regarding our stewardship: 

1. Our physical bodies
2. Our conscience
3. Our relationships with others
4. Our talents
5. Our possessions

These items are on loan from God, and we are to follow God’s Word in their stewardship and bring them back to Him with increase. Growth is directly related to responsibility, so if you have nothing under your care, it is difficult to grow up! Let’s now examine two of these assets: our relationship with others and our possessions.

First, within your work environment, how are you relating to your customers, employees, and colleagues? Are you drawing out and developing their skills and wisdom? A “Christian business” isn’t simply an honest business or one that properly pays its taxes. Rather, it is one committed to developing human beings because that is the Father’s heart. Good leaders help others discover the plans and visions God has for them. (See Proverbs 20:5.)

If you want the Father’s blessing on what you do, you will make it a priority to discover the gifts of those who work with you, saved or unsaved, and draw them into what God created them to be—not mere employees or coworkers but members of the divine partnership of Almighty & Family. You are about Father’s business. As you begin to help others discern their gifts and fulfill their callings by the power of the Holy Spirit, the unsaved will get saved and the saved will grow in maturity. That is what economic evangelism and discipleship is all about. 

Second, maturation in the stewardship of possessions is a major part of all the training in your spiritual life. Good leaders help their people become better stewards. Jesus revealed three principles about growing in maturity as stewards: 

He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much. Therefore if you have not been faithful in the use of unrighteous wealth, who will entrust the true riches to you? And if you have not been faith­ful in the use of that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own? (Luke 16:10–12 NASB)

We grow: (1) from small to large, (2) from natural to spiritual, and (3) from managing someone else’s things to managing our own.

God, as a wise Employer/Father, brings His servants into mature fellowship with Himself by making them His work partners. Unity comes from sharing goals, responsibilities, and time together. God’s original intent has always been to build with us. To think that He designed the created order to respond to man’s care is awe-inspiring indeed! 

Thought of the Day: We grow by caring for people and things. Growth is directly related to responsibility.