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Stewardship

The faithful use of our resources begins with realizing that God owns everything! All that we have comes from him, and therefore we don’t really own anything; we are merely stewards—overseers or managers—over things that belong to God.

Psalm 50:10-12: “For every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills. I know all the birds of the hills, and all that moves in the field is mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and its fullness are mine.”

Faithful stewardship of our resources is an indicator of our spiritual health. When we are generous and faithful in managing and giving of our resources, we show that our trust is in God—that God, not our possessions, is the source of our life.

Matthew 6:19-21: “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

A Giving Heart

Scripture has much to say about our motives and attitudes toward giving. Here is a sampling:

  1. Giving is to be generous, not stingy.2 Corinthians 9:6: “The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.”
  2. Giving is to be enthusiastic, not grudging. 2 Corinthians 9:7: “Each one must give as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
  3. Giving is to be discreet, not showy.Matthew 6:3-4: “But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”
  4. Giving is to be with faith, not anxiety.Malachi 3:10: “Bring the full tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.”