March 12, 2012

Week 2

Discipline:                                                         STEWARDSHIP


Word:             “for all that is in the heavens and on the earth is yours; yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all. 12Riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might; and it is in your hand to make great and to give strength to all.”
                                                                        I Chronicles 29:11-12

“For it is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them; 15to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.”
                                                                        Matthew 25:14-15

 Reflection:   Ownership

     There is something within us that has a deep need for ownership.  Children learn very early the word “mine” (but where do you think they learn it!).  As Americans one of our most passionately guarded “rights” is the “right to private property”.  We adamantly declare there are things that are “mine”.  All of this goes against the grain of the Biblical idea that God is the owner of everything and that in God’s Kingdom and economy, nothing is mine.  The Bible teaches that everything we “possess” we hold only in “trust” for God.  We are therefore “Trustees” or “Stewards” of God’s possessions.  In the practice of infant baptism we are reminded that even our children are not “ours”, but they belong to God and have been entrusted to us and the church. 

     For that reason, stewardship is critical to discipleship.  It is the practice of stewardship that constantly reminds me of the graciousness of God who has given to me all things.  Stewardship should be a reminder that everything I have is a gift and the preciousness of it lies not in monetary value, but in who has given me the gift.

     Because we work for money to buy things, it is hard to not see them as our own.  It seems to be something we are born with.  One of my daughters was a rock collector from early childhood.  I first thought that she had some kind of innate interest in rocks (a born geologist).  But later I realized the rocks we simply something she could obtain and possess own her own (she earned them).  Moses recognized that struggle within us and offered this wise warning, “Do not say to yourself, “My power and the might of my own hand have gotten me this wealth.”18But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth”  Deuteronomy 8:17-18  Even our ability to do work, earn wages, and purchase possessions, is a gift from God.  The discipline of stewardship is a critical reminder of our dependence of the grace of God.  It keeps us humble and guards against pride (the root of all sin) which threatens our relationship to God.

 Practice:  This week practice being conscious of using the word “mine”.  Take time to take inventory or everything I possess and remind myself, none of it belongs to me.  Give something away as a reminder.

Comments

Leave a Reply