Stewardship & Our Possessions – Session III
Today most of us will click on Facebook and Instagram at least once allowing us brief glimpses into the lives of others.
While this isn’t necessarily bad it can often cause discontentment, jealousy and envy.
Yes, Theodore Roosevelt got it right when he said “Comparison is the thief of joy.”
So what does this have to do with Stewarding our material possessions?
Everything actually.
What we mainly see on social media is the end result but never the practices put into place to arrive there. Yes “she”is wearing our coveted designer, taking our dream trip, unpacking in our dream house with our dream car in the driveway with our must-have handbag slung over her shoulder.
Basically she is living the life we crave.
After making our comparisons we begin excuse making (“well if I had her or that_____, then I could have, do, go, own, be that too.”
Next, we don our victim mask of self-pity (“ if they hadn’t ____ to me, then I would have her life”).
Finally, we move on to jealousy sending insincere congratulatory texts while secretly feeling deep envy.
What we didn’t see is her daily acts of stewardship, time, effort, self-discipline and sacrifice she implemented to create this life we witness.
We didn’t see her meticulously caring for and cleaning her tiny studio apartment, keeping her beat-up, barely road worthy car clean, dusting her hand-me-down furniture or treating her second-hand clothing and handbag like designer pieces.
In the Parable of the Talents we see a master who has “entrusted HIS property” to his servants while away then returning later to “settle the accounts” (Matthew 25:14).
Though starting out with little, the first two servants practice sound stewardship and are later recognized and commended for their successful efforts by being rewarded with more.” (25:21)
Sadly, the third servant opted to make excuses rather than take action resulting in the loss of his possession altogether. (25:28).
Then Christ explains the Law of Stewardship.
“For everyone who has will be given more and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.” (25:30).
Often we ask God for a larger house when He clearly sees we are neglecting to clean and care for the house we live in.
We want bigger closets to hold the clothes we carelessly toss to the floor. We want a nicer car, handbag, furniture or shoes though we fail to lovingly care what we currently have .
I know this because I lived it for a long, long time. Clearly not my finest hour.
I accused God of child neglect when the truth was I was being neglectful.
How could He entrust me with newer, better, nicer when I failed to care for what I currently had?
The Law of Stewardship takes us from average to great but only when applied faithfully and daily.
We may not want to invest the time required to care for possessions we perceive as ordinary, too old or too small, but it is proving our “faithfulness with a few (small) things” that bring about promotion to be “in charge of many things.” (25:21)
Look around you today.
Are there possessions God entrusted to you that are showing signs of neglect?
Are you asking God for more wondering why more never comes?
Could applying the Law of Stewardship open the door for creating a life you love?
Sandra Hubbard
Join the Discussion