Blog
Biblical Stewardship: An Entrusted Responsibility with Unlimited Opportunities
- July 25, 2022
- Posted by: Marcel Sanchez
- Category: Developing Spiritual Disciplines
It was the dream of every young person—at least in my generation—and it was my dream too. What was this dream? It was to be able to work at a good company with the goal of saving enough money to purchase my very first car. I know, that’s not a wildly BIG dream for many of us today, but for a guy who grew up in a poor neighborhood, it was huge.
My Dad worked for a successful plumbing contractor. The company was well respected by its peers and clients. High school was wrapping up for me that early summer. I asked my Dad if the owner would consider hiring me for summer work. Based on what he could pay me—and since my Dad was one of his top employees—it was certainly worth pursuing.
So, I met with the owner, and he offered me $7.00 per hour at 40 hours per week. Back in 1987, $280.00 per week was no small salary for an ambitious teenager like me. The owner asked if I was sure about taking on this challenge. My work would not be prestigious in any way. It consisted of digging large ditches, running to get plumbing supplies, hauling heavy construction debris, carrying hazardous materials, and other physically demanding tasks.
I assured Mr. Gableman—the owner—that I was not only appreciative of his offer, but totally ready for the challenge. To cut my story short, after working through two hot summers in Miami, I was able to save enough money to purchase my first car—a Plymouth Turismo 2.0—in cash.
The Challenge and Opportunity of Biblical stewardship
What is biblical stewardship?
Although you may find many different and similar definitions to answer this question, let me provide you with my personal understanding of what stewardship—from a biblical perspective—is all about.
Biblical stewardship is a measure of responsibility, given to us by God—the owner of everything—to protect, manage, and multiply the resources given to us—the entrusted managers—by God.
In our last blog post, we examined the areas entrusted to us by our Creator to protect, manage, and multiply for God’s eternal purposes and glory. Let’s briefly review them again:
- Treasures are the financial means entrusted to you by God to manage wisely for His purposes.
- Time is the limited window of opportunity provided to work for the purposes of the owner—God.
- Abilities are the God-given capacity and power to do something well.
- Talents are extraordinary natural abilities given to you by God and originating from birth.
- Skills are learned abilities developed and mastered over time.
- Training is learning. To achieve mastery, your disposition must be that of a student.
- Personality is how God has wired you; it’s the invisible you made visible.
As a Christian—having been transformed by the Spirit of God, by the grace of God, and through faith in the Son of God—you should think differently about your life. What you have or may possess temporarily, is given to you as a loan. You’re simply borrowing the resources provided to you by God for a limited amount of time. And your goal should be to please the One who gave you this special opportunity by maximizing all that you have to serve your king.
As a Christian, you have been given new life—by God’s grace and through faith—by believing in the life, death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ. In Christ, you are a spiritual son (or daughter) of the king through faith in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:26). Your identity is in Christ because you have been crucified with Christ (Galatians 2:20). Although you’re the one breathing, Jesus Christ is the one living through you to accomplish God’s will.
The Apostle Paul declared, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.” – Galatians 2:20-21
Biblical stewardship is a measure of responsibility, given to us by God—the owner of everything—to protect, manage, and multiply the resources given to us—the entrusted managers—by God.
Marcel Sanchez, Imagine Coaching Academy Tweet
Let’s Get Practical
If you’re breathing right now, there’s still work for you to do. So, let’s summarize our definition of biblical stewardship with a few practical applications to help you process this further.
Biblical stewardship is a measure of responsibility
As a Christian, you have been given a measure—a defined quantity of trust—to serve your Lord. This defined quantity of trust is both broad and narrow. It is broad in the sense that others may be entrusted with the same quantity. You, however, will likely have a unique situation—a particular cultural or work-related context if you will—to fulfill your responsibility.
This responsibility does not arrive without accountability. God’s measure of trust—as we see it revealed in the Bible—involves a future evaluation. One day, you will give an account of how you managed what God entrusted to you. Divine responsibility always comes with accountability.
Given to us by God
As a Christian, you are God’s steward. You are His manager—appointed and entrusted by God—to carry out His divine purposes on earth. Don’t read this next line too quickly:
God has given YOU a measure of responsibility. God trusts YOU to carry it out.
Wow!
You may not have great confidence in what you can do for God’s kingdom, but God does.
You may not believe you have what it takes to make a difference in others, but God does.
You may not think you can handle any measure of spiritual responsibility, but God does.
And you may not think you can follow God’s Word consistently, but God does.
God believes in His power to work through your life. Your strength, intellect, experience, or skillset is NOT what’s most important to fulfill your measure of responsibility. What’s most important is that God lives in you and walks with you so that you can do what He’s called you to do. God knows you can get the job done and do it very well.
The Spirit of God—God’s Holy Spirit that lives in you—working through the Word of God—the Bible—in relationship with the people of God—the church—is what you need to do God’s work.
God—the owner of everything
We will dig deeper into this key point soon. But for now, let’s start with the basics. Everything that exists—including what you see and what you can’t see with your eyes—exists because God has brought it into existence. God is the source of all creation.
King David recognized this truth as he prayed before God’s people:
“Therefore David blessed the Lord in the presence of all the assembly. And David said: ‘Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of Israel our father, forever and ever. Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all. Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. And now we thank you, our God, and praise your glorious name. But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able thus to offer willingly? For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you.’”
– 1 Chronicles 29:10-14
Since God is the owner of everything, you and I truly own nothing. I know it hurts to read that last part, but it’s entirely true. God owns it all and you don’t. What you have been given is on temporary loan. You have things for a little while and then they’re gone.
So many Christians trip and fall over this truth. They hold on to their education or their careers, making decisions that only satisfy their selfish momentary desires. They’re greedy with money because they believe they must hoard all their earnings and protect it themselves.
When you think you own something—and you don’t—you’re in direct competition with God. Newsflash: If you try competing with God, you will always lose. Honor God with what you have—all that you have been given and all that He will eventually give you—and you will experience more joy than you could ever imagine. All property, resources, and people belong to God. God owns it all. You just need to start living to reflect this reality.
One final point to expand this truth. As a Christian, God purchased you through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. God purchased you through the shed blood of His son, Jesus Christ.
“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” – 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
The Spirit of God—God’s Holy Spirit that lives in you—working through the Word of God—the Bible—in relationship with the people of God—the church—is what you need to do God’s work.
Marcel Sanchez, Imagine Coaching Academy Tweet
The Why
To protect, manage, and multiply the resources given to us
Why has God entrusted you specifically with so many resources? We’ve already established that God believes in His unlimited power working through your life to accomplish His divine purposes. As God’s manager, your role is to protect, manage, and multiply God’s property for His eternal glory. That’s why.
How can you use your professional skills to train others and help them thrive?
How can you maximize your time this week to help someone grieve a recent loss?
What kind of note could you write to show your appreciation for someone else?
How can you use your home this week to be more hospitable to a neighbor?
Which of your contacts is suffering from cancer or some physical challenge, but would be encouraged by receiving fresh flowers?
What do you have that someone else really needs, that you could give them for free?
There are several other resources in your possession right now. Which one of them is being protected, managed, and multiplied for God’s purposes?
Which ones are not? You might be hiding them out of fear or neglecting them altogether.
What’s holding you back?
What else is holding you back?
God has a plan for His property—His resources. We need to align with that plan to be faithful stewards. God gives us the instructions to follow to properly manage His resources.
We need to add another important element to our earlier list—entrusted to us by our Creator—to protect, manage, and multiply for God’s eternal purposes and glory. What is this key element? God’s Word—the Bible. Notice this clear and direct passage of scripture:
The Apostle Paul instructed his spiritual son, Timothy, “You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.” – 2 Timothy 2:1-2
The Word of God is the will of God for your life. Everything you need to be an effective manager and live your life with purpose is written in the Bible.
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” – 2 Timothy 3:16-17
There it is! What did Timothy hear directly from the Apostle Paul? He heard God’s Word as revealed in the Bible. And what was Timothy supposed to do next? He was to be strengthened through God’s Word by grace—God’s unmerited favor—what he received in Jesus Christ.
But wait…there’s more. As Timothy was entrusted with this responsibility of knowing God’s Word, he was to teach and entrust God’s Word to faithful people who would teach and entrust God’s Word to more reliable people. It was multiplying stewardship and it was only just getting started.
Believe it or not, this is exactly what God wants to do in your life. God wants His Word to expand and multiply through your life to others. As a Christian, you are an ambassador of God’s kingdom. You have a message to declare from the king. And everyone needs to hear this message and practice what God’s Word instructs.
Although Timothy was young, timid, and inexperienced, God gave Timothy an immeasurable responsibility to manage. And guess what. Timothy stepped up and accepted his measure of responsibility. Timothy could have made 1,000 excuses—like you and I often do—but he didn’t.
The Word of God is the will of God for your life. Everything you need to be an effective manager and live your life with purpose is written in the Bible.
Marcel Sanchez, Imagine Coaching Academy Tweet
us—The entrusted managers—by God
Listen to the simplicity of this truth: God is the property owner—you are His property manager.
If you have another plan for God’s property, you have a BIG problem with the owner. You are not to focus on owning, but on protecting, managing, and multiplying it for God’s purposes.
It’s not your life…your life belongs to God.
It’s not your house…your house is God’s property.
It’s not your car…your vehicle is God’s provision to get you to where He needs you to go.
It’s not your money…it’s God’s money. He gives you clients and opportunities for His purposes.
A good manager recognizes his or her place in relation to the owner. Once you get out of alignment with your identity as God’s manager, nothing good follows.
This measure of responsibility given to you by God is a serious matter. God has entrusted you to carry out His mission as you protect, manage, and multiply His resources.
This is both a high honor and a great responsibility. Whether you think you can handle it is not the issue—you can. If that were not the case, you would not have received it.
But you can’t do this alone. You need the power of God’s Spirit, the instruction of God’s Word, and the support of God’s people. You are God’s entrusted manager. So, let’s get to work.
Summary
Let’s summarize the areas entrusted to us by God to protect, manage, and multiply for His eternal purposes and glory:
- Treasures are the financial means entrusted to you by God to manage wisely for His purposes.
- Time is the limited window of opportunity provided to work for the purposes of the owner—
- Abilities are the God-given capacity and power to do something well.
- Talents are extraordinary natural abilities given to you by God and originating from birth.
- Skills are learned abilities developed and mastered over time.
- Training is learning. To achieve mastery, your disposition must be that of a student.
- Personality is how God has wired you; it’s the invisible you made visible.
- God’s Word is the will of God for your life. Everything you need to be an effective manager and live your life with purpose is written in the Bible.
Action Point
As a result of this teaching, what specific activities, behaviors, patterns of thinking, or plans do you need to stop, start, or continue? Write your thoughts down on the notes page of your mobile phone.
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