The Danger of Selective Effort

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Engaging in stewardship implies an active steward. They will work, or take steps to fulfill the expectations that the property owner set them. Activity and effort are closely related but not identical. I may be active, but I may be putting little effort into my work. Similarly, I may be active and exerting great effort over my task. The presence of activity does not denote a consistent level of activity.

When presented with being active in our stewardship, we must decide how much effort we are going to give. The danger that exists for us is that we are selective in the effort we expend.

Too much rationalization

Any task requiring our attention will cause us to decide how much effort we want to expend completing it. An enjoyable task – whatever that may be for you – will see us happily expend greater effort because we like it. On the other hand, cleaning toilets probably won’t. (I apologize if cleaning toilets is a task you genuinely enjoy.) What am I getting at? We rationalize the effort we are prepared to give based on what the task means to us.

The danger this presents in stewardship is that based on how I view the activity, my effort correlates. If I have been entrusted with something I don’t particularly like, enjoy, or even think I should not have to do, it is unlikely I will give it the full amount of effort it deserves or requires.

More trust required

Rather than have confidence in my mental reasoning, I must remind myself that I can trust God who gave me this stewardship. He is like the Master in Matthew 25:15 who divided up his property to his servants, “…each according to his own ability…”

The things we steward for God may be different – and we have to fight the urge to compare and be dissatisfied. But ultimately we can have confidence in the fact that what we have been entrusted with is perfectly suited for us at this time. (Remember Psalm 139 – God knows us better than we know ourselves. Should we be surprised that our stewardships are best suited to each of us?)

Remember the reflection

As I am active in my stewardship I need to remember that I act as God would act if he were doing this task. It is a high standard and one that, I confess, I frequently forget. What does it say about him if I complete my tasks begrudgingly? What does it reflect of him to the world if I just do the absolute minimum necessary?

While we do not complete our tasks to meet a standard set by anyone other than God, we must remember that there are many others who are watching us. What am I reflecting to them about God?

Look past the task

Similarly, what am I communicating to God about what I think of what he has given me to do? Do I clearly demonstrate that I think he has made a great error, or do I say that I am willing to trust him? As much as I can I need to look past the task and see him. The one who loves me infinitely, who accepts me through his son, and who wants my best.

As I see God clearer my motivation changes to not be just task completion, but to pleasing him and obeying him. At that point I don’t have to decide whether I give this 10% effort or 100% because I will want to give my best each and every time. I should then have the approach that “…whatever [I] do, [I] do all to the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31)

 

Up Next:

The danger of a productivity mindset **Coming soon**

Explore Ownership more:

Stewardship Component #4 – Activity

“My responsibility in light of Activity” **Coming soon**

The Danger of Unawareness

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What does it mean to be unaware when it comes to stewardship? And, how does unawareness relate to the component of Expectations?

In my original post exploring Expectations, I quoted two of the key verses for Biblical stewardship, 1 Corinthians 4:1-2:

1 This is the way any person is to regard us: as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.
2 In this case, moreover, it is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy [faithful].

There are two important things we saw in these verses. First, the expectation of a steward is that they be faithful. And, second, we need to recognize that we are servants first, and stewards second. Unawareness presents a danger to both of these takeaways.

Unawareness puts faithfulness at risk

Faithfulness is our goal. Paul is very clear on that in these verses. If we are to be faithful in our stewardship we must know exactly what is expected of us. How are we to live as Christ-followers? How are we to use the spiritual gifts God has given us? What do we do with the other resources God has left in our charge? If we are unaware of how to live and act as stewards, we put our ability to be faithful at risk.

So, how do we become aware of what is expected?

By being familiar with the Word of God and the instructions it contains pertinent to our life and stewardship. A common objection to this is that the Bible does not have specific teaching or instruction on how I use my Ford Escape or my chequing account at Scotiabank. This is true, but Scripture does contain many instructions on how we are to live a Christians that can be applied to our actions as stewards.

Time for reflection

This is by no means an exhaustive list, but consider  the following verses and how they may apply to, and be lived out through, your stewardship…

  • Romans 12:10-13
    Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honour, not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.
  • Romans 12:16
    Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation.
  • Galatians 5:16
    But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.
  • Galatians 6:10
    So then, while we have opportunity, let’s do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.
  • Ephesians 4:1-3
    Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, being diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
  • Philippians 4:8-9
    Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, think about these things.     As for the things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
  • Colossians 3:2
    Set your minds on the things that are above, not on the things that are on earth.
We have to be prepared to put in some work

Each one of these verses contains instructions that, if put into practice, could radically change our actions as stewards. It is as we assimilate these verses, and others like them, that we become more aware of just what is expected of us as stewards, and less likely to act out of unawareness.

Beyond that though, we also need to demonstrate an awareness of the one who entrusted us with this stewardship. We need to know who God is, what he is like, and how he would act. As his representatives here on earth we have a responsibility to demonstrate his character and actions to a world that does not know him.

The tendency we may have though is to just get on with the task in hand using our own logic, and confident in our own abilities. We can rationalize the actions we take and explain why they were most suitable in that moment, all while disregarding the fact that we did not evidence any real understanding of who God is, or what he would have done.

A lesson of unawareness from a parable

This is demonstrated well for us in the parables Jesus tells in Luke 19 and Matthew 25. We have considered these in previous posts. One of the servants who was entrusted with his master’s possessions ignored the expectation that was put on him. He was to do business with the money, but instead hid it and returned it to his mater. This displeased his master, listen to the rebuke that he gives the servant:

Matthew 25:26-27

“But his master answered and said to him, ‘You worthless, lazy slave! Did you know that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter seed? Then you ought to have put my money in the bank, and on my arrival I would have received my money back with interest.”

The servant had explained why he did not follow his master’s instruction. He cited how he perceived his master as being unjust, almost tyrannical. The master never contradicts the character assessment made by the servant, but does point out that he missed something. He states that if he had truly known what he was like, he would have at least put the money into the bank where it could have earned interest.

The servant thought that he knew what his master was like. He only had part of the picture. His unawareness impacted his actions. What was proven was that he didn’t truly know what he was like at all.

A lesson for us today

I’m not a fan of drawing a parallel, as some do, from the master in this parable to God the Father. The description of the man’s character does not correlate to what God is like. But we can draw a parallel from the servant to us.

He was correct in his character assessment, but he did not have the whole picture. As a result, his actions were negatively impacted. We must ensure we are continually learning about God. It is one of the amazing things in life that God has made himself known to us. As we seek to understand him fully we can then act correctly in light of what we find.

As we know what God would do if he had the resources we steward, we can then act intelligently in using them. When we do this, we display God to those around us. To Christians and non-Christians. And as we do this, we give him the opportunity to receive the glory he truly deserves. Let’s strive to be the faithful stewards God has called us to be, and not demonstrate the unawareness of the servant in the parable.

 

 

Up Next:

The danger of Selective Effort

Explore Ownership more:

Stewardship Component #3 – Expectations

“My responsibility in light of Expectations” **Coming soon**

 

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.

The Danger of Comparison

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To consider the ‘Danger of Comparison’ in the context of Biblical stewardship, I want us to try to live in the parable Jesus tells in Matthew 25:14-30. Take a few moments, and read the story Jesus told.

Entering the story

I would like you to imagine you are one of the servants in the story. Your master is preparing to head out of town. For days you have been working to get him ready to leave. He is not taking a short, local journey but will travel a significant distance. It has required a lot of preparation and has been a big undertaking for all the staff.

The time for him to leave is nearly here. The supplies he needs were all secured. All the provisions are packed. The household is in a last minute frenzy making sure everything is where it needs to be. You were a busy part of that, but not at this instant.

Right now you are standing with two colleagues before your master. The work you were doing is on pause – you were called away. Summoned to a meeting. Your other colleagues arrived and, now that you are all present, your master begins to speak.

He explains that while he is away, he is placing the three of you in charge of his possession. He outlines what he expects of you, and then divides his money between you. Eight talents of gold is divided. You are responsible for two t, one of your colleagues is responsible for five, the other for one.

It is easy to compare

In that moment, it would be so easy for the three servants to begin comparing what they received. The servant responsible for one talent could look at his contemporary with two and wonder why he got double what he held in his hand. Similarly, the servant responsible for two talents could feel jealous and envious of the servant responsible for five talents because he has more than double what he received.

Alternately, the servant with responsibility for five talents, seeing how much more he got than his colleagues, could become prideful and self-exalting. His comparison could lead to a false sense of superiority and importance.

In this example, the servants assess what they received based on two things: the item, and what another person received. Can you relate? Can you think of examples where you have done this? Perhaps you consider someone else to have a better job, nicer house, faster car, an ideal family, the list could continue. Or maybe you have exalted yourself over another?

If we have ever acted like this example, we know how much difficulty we can get ourselves into. We become dissatisfied. We convince ourselves that we are more deserving of something else. That God doesn’t know us as well as we know ourselves. And we may even go so far as to attempt to engineer circumstances to get what we perceive is more suitable to us. Comparison can lead to a lot of trouble.

But the comparison is never equal

With our stewardship as Christians, I know of very few people who have been entrusted with identical things. There are some things that we have a stewardship responsibility over that is the same no matter who we are, where we live, the colour of our skin, the language we speak, or anything else that sets us apart from each other. The gospel is one such thing. We are all witnesses for God of his amazing, life-giving, grace and mercy that brings a sinner to salvation and saves a soul. We all steward this gospel message for God.

Beyond that, it is usually different. There are categories that are the same. Spiritual gifts. Physical health and wellbeing. But within these categories there is little to no identical assignments. You and I both have a spiritual gift. Identical. Mine may be teaching, yours may be helps. Different.

We get ourselves into trouble if we draw lines between ourselves and others based on these differences. We can use the distinctions to create rifts between brothers and sisters in Christ. Or start to focus more on being envious and covetous of what someone else has been given, when we think we would really have liked to have had that.

Comparison draws us into unbelief

When we do this, we unconsciously state that we do not believe that God knows what he is doing. We communicate that we do not have confidence in his ability to rightfully apportion his property and resources to his people. We elevate ourselves to his level – a level where we could never, nor should ever place ourselves – and say that we know better than God.

This is a huge danger to our contentment and confidence as stewards. Rather than recognizing the deliberateness of God’s assignment to us, if we use comparison to assess what we have, or don’t have, to those around us we can get ourselves into real difficulties.

Matthew 25:15 contains six important words that I want to end this post with, they are…

“…each according to his own ability…”

The assignments of the master in this parable were not random. They were deliberate. Based on the knowledge he had of each of these servants. It is just this way with God. The things that I am entrusted to steward may look different to yours, but they are perfectly suited to me. God knows me better than I know myself and that should give me tremendous confidence that the things I have to steward are exactly the right things for me and my circumstances.

A final activity

As you close today, it may be a good idea to spend some time in prayerful reflection, confession, and repentance with the Lord over any times where you have sought to show him that you thought you knew better than Him in his stewardship assignment. But also take the time to thank him for the things that he has entrusted to you too.

 

Up Next:

The danger of Unawareness

Explore Ownership more:

Stewardship Component #2 – Relationship

“My responsibility in light of Relationship” **Coming soon**

The Danger of “mine”

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“Mine.”

It is such a simple, small word, but one that holds great depths of meaning and significance in Biblical stewardship. As we start exploring the dangers to us fully embracing Biblical stewardship in our lives, this four-letter word poses perhaps the biggest danger of all those we will consider. This is the first major obstacle we must address to truly live the life of a steward.

Stewardship starts with ownership

In its simplest form, stewardship is caring for, or managing something that belongs to another. When we bring this into the context of Biblical stewardship, the first thing we must recognize is that God owns everything. (My previous post on ‘Ownership‘ breaks this out in more detail.)

This face has huge implications for us all, and not just in the context of stewardship. Today you will explore this fact further and consider the implications of this truth for Christians. It is one thing to understand this truth, it is quite another to have it alter your perceptions and actions. As you begin today, I would like you to read, and meditate on these three verses from Psalm 50.

 

Psalm 50:10–12
10 For every animal of the forest is Mine,

The cattle on a thousand hills.

11 I know every bird of the mountains,

And everything that moves in the field is Mine.

12 If I were hungry I would not tell you,

For the world is Mine, and everything it contains.

 

Asaph writes this Psalm as if it were God speaking. This small section is part of a larger dialogue that God is having with His chosen nation of Israel as he describes how he has no need of the things that they might bring because he owns so much.

Asaph rightly ascribes all of creation as “mine” when talking in God’s voice. Asaph, like David, (Psalm 24:1-2,) recognized that God has the right to claim any and every part of creation because he is Creator. For God to describe anything as “mine” is entirely right and appropriate.

We all use the word “Mine”

But what about us?

Isn’t the word “mine” used to describe things around you?

Things you own?

Things that are rightfully recognized as being yours?

Ownership has been an established part of every culture and society throughout history. It was, and is, necessary to distinguish which property belongs to different individuals. This prevents disputes, fights, and hopefully, theft. Ownership is one of the integral parts of our society today. Just ask anyone who has been or is in prison after being convicted of taking something that is not their own.

Children, early on, will exhibit a sense of “ownership” over things. Have you ever seen a sibling trying to take something from a brother or sister? “But it’s mine”. “Mom, they took my toy!” “Give it back, it’s not yours.” How many parents have listened to a child complain that what was taken was rightfully theirs? Persuasive arguments may be made to the adjudicating adult to settle the dispute, but then again, a small toddler just snapping out the word “mine” leaves the observer in no doubt they consider a thing theirs.

But I own things

We have many things that could be labelled “mine.” There is little doubt that you could look around you and identify things you would label in this way. Gifts you received, objects you made, or items you purchased. You have deeds and documentation with your name on that prove other things are yours. Society attributes ownership in these, and other, ways.

The use of the word “mine” is a real threat to understanding ownership for the steward.

The longer I consider something as “mine,” and not Gods, the longer it will take for me fully adopt the principles of stewardship into my life. Stewardship, as taught in the Bible, requires a radical perspective change. Even if I might label something as “mine”, in truth it belongs to God.

The reason this is so challenging is that if I view something as mine, by extension I get to determine what happens with it. It’s my money – I can spend it how I like. I own this car – I can use it how I please. It’s my time – I can do what I want with it. However, the recognition as God as the true owner of everything, including us as Christians, requires that perspective to change.

Regardless of whether my name is on the ownership papers, or if the money came out of my bank account, the recognition that it is Gods must change what we do with it. It’s his money – I will spend it how he wants. God owns this car – I can use it to serve him. It’s his time – how can I use it best for him?

It’s hard to let go

I will be honest with you, this is the part of stewardship that I struggle with most. The idea that something is mine is so natural and so ingrained in my mind that I have to consciously stop and remember that it truly is Gods when I am using it. I have realized though that the longer I keep holding onto something as mine, the less likely I am to willingly and happily use it for God.

This is one part stewardship that I do not have completely nailed down. (I don’t have any of them completely nailed down if we’re being completely open!) But by God’s grace, I am striving to do it better. I encourage you to give this some serious thought and consideration because it can become one of the greatest hinderances to us embracing stewardship in our lives.

 

Up Next:

The danger of Comparison 

Explore Ownership more:

Stewardship Component #1 – Ownership

“My responsibility in light of Ownership” **Coming soon**

The Dangers of Stewardship

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Previous posts on this blog have explored five Stewardship Components found in the Bible. This series of articles investigates the dangers that are associated with each component. While somewhat unconventional, it will bring a valuable dimension to our consideration of Biblical Stewardship.

Why look at “dangers”?

Merriam-Webster defines danger as “exposure or liability to injury, pain, harm, or loss.” We naturally avoid being in places that endanger us. Our avoidance is aided by visually striking signs indicating danger is present.

Where danger exists, ways are often provided to avoid the danger, or at least mitigate its impact. You cannot enter some construction sites without a hard hat and steel-toed boots. Hospitals provide Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to those entering the room of a patient with a contagious infection. Or it may be a simple statement at the foot of a YouTube video: “Do not try this at home!”

When we know danger exists, it gives us the opportunity to adjust our actions accordingly.

Is stewardship dangerous?

When considering the dangers of Biblical stewardship we do not primarily think about things that put us at risk of injury, pain, or harm. That being said, our activities as Stewards may be dangerous at times. For example, many individuals, seeing their responsibility as stewards of the gospel, go into dangerous parts of the world to share the good news of salvation with others. While valid, this type of exposure to danger is not the focus of the following articles.

Returning to Merriam-Webster’s definition, the danger we focus on is the one that exposes us to loss. It is the danger that we do not fully understand the significance of stewardship. The danger that we do not completely embrace its role in our lives as Christians. And the danger that we do not experience the blessing of this lifestyle.

So, what are the dangers?

For each of the components of Biblical Stewardship we have considered, there is a corresponding danger that exists. This danger presents the primary thing that would prevent us from fully experiencing the impact of that component in our lives.

This series of articles explores the following:

  1. The danger of “mine”.
  2. The danger of comparison.
  3. The danger of unawareness.
  4. The danger of selective effort.
  5. The danger of a productivity mindset.
How do I avoid these dangers?

Just as you may want a hard hat on a construction site, or PPE in a hospital, there are steps we can take to stop these dangers preventing us from being faithful stewards of what God has given to us. For each danger, there is a corresponding responsibility that is placed on us. These responsibilities will be addressed in our next series of articles and posts.

 

Up Next:

The danger of “mine.”

The Stewards of Easter

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Each year at Easter it is good, and right, for us to thoughtfully reflect on Christ’s death at Calvary. As we focus on that scene we begin to grasp the seriousness of our sin and the enormity of what Jesus did. This Easter, I ask you to pause on the events at the end of that day, to widen your view, and to focus on two people at Calvary who acted as faithful stewards.

Two unlikely stewards

Two men fulfilled an important stewardship that day.  The actions of Joseph of Arimathea are recorded in all four gospels. While I refer to each narrative in this post, I am placing John’s account here for us to read because he also includes Nicodemus’ involvement.

John 19:38-42
(New American Standard Bible)
38 Now after these things Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus,
but a secret one for fear of the Jews, requested of Pilate that he might
take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate granted permission. So he came
and took away His body.
39 Nicodemus, who had first come to Him by night, also came, bringing
a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred litras weight.
40 So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen wrappings with
the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews.
41 Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in
the garden was a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid.
42 Therefore because of the Jewish day of preparation, since the tomb
was nearby, they laid Jesus there.

A day that would never end

For Christ’s followers, this must have been the longest day of their lives. Unexpected. A day that kept getting worse. A day that drained them of hope. The Messiah they followed was arrested, beaten, and found worthy of death by the Jewish council, the Sanhedrin.

This council leveraged the ruling Roman authorities to enact their desire for blood. The Roman governor, Pilate, reluctantly entertained and facilitated this bloodlust, and allowed his soldiers to torture and crucify the Son of God.

His soldiers enacted their gruesome duty with proficient brutality. The “criminal” whose life was theirs to end was nailed to a cross. Left to suffocate to death. Their duty was complete.

But, the council intervened again. They didn’t want the bodies on the cross any longer. The upcoming Sabbath was a “high day” (John 19:31). Pilate was petitioned again, this time to have his men speed up the death process. He approved their request.

As the soldiers came to Jesus, after breaking the legs of the other two men, they found that he was already dead. To confirm, they drove a spear deep into his chest cavity. Blood and water flowed from the wound, and they were satisfied he had died. It is now that Joseph takes action.

Gentleness replaces brutality

Was Pilate irritated that another member of the council was back to see him again? Curiosity maybe replaced annoyance at finding a single man asking permission for the body of the crucified Jew. Pilate grants his permission and Joseph returned to Calvary to claim his charge.

Back at the site of a horrific execution, gentle hands went to work. Nails were pried from wood, and loosed from hands and feet. The lifeless body of his Messiah was lowered to the ground. The thorny crown, beaten onto Jesus’ head in mockery, gently removed.

How very different his actions were from those who took the other men down and threw their bodies in the public grave. Jesus would not be discarded. Instead he was lovingly, and carefully transported to a nearby garden.

Here, with the help of Nicodemus, Joseph wrapped his body in spices and linen cloths. Nicodemus had also been busy while Jospeh was with Pilate and at Calvary. He came prepared with the spices needed to suppress the stench of death and decay which would come. He served his Messiah that day too.

When the body was prepared, they placed him inside the tomb. Instead of being carried into that tomb as a corpse, Joseph walked in carrying the body of his Rabbi, and laid him to rest. He and Nicodemus rolled a stone over the entrance, and retreated back to their homes. Honour was shown on a day when shame and disgrace abounded.

The Stewards of Easter

That day in Jerusalem, Joseph and Nicodemus became stewards of the Lord Jesus’ body for a short period of time. They cared for him at a time when no one else would, or even could. As we consider our own stewardship, there are four things I want to highlight for our consideration.

1. Stewardship may be thrust on us when we least expect it

Reading the gospel accounts I often wonder if Joseph and Nicodemus expected to be doing what they did as they started that day. Nicodemus was a Pharisee. Jospeh, a rich man from Arimathea. Both sat on the Sanhedrin. Neither would be the obvious choice for this activity. I doubt either of them had done anything like it before. Menial and unclean tasks in daily life would have been conducted by servants.

While unlikely choices, there was probably no one else who could have done what they did. Mary and John would not have obtained an audience with Pilate. It is unlikely that any other disciple or the women at the cross had a tomb where Jesus could be laid. Would any of them have had quick access to, or the means to buy the spices that evening that Nicodemus had?

There are times where we may see a need for stewardship that no one else is filling, and we must be ready to act. We may try to rationalize our way out of it, and convince ourselves we are not the best for the task, but we have to act. The timing may not be perfect, and it may ask more of us than we have been asked before. But will we act? Will be demonstrate faithfulness to the one who is asking for our service?

Joseph and Nicodemus stepped up at a time when no one else did. Without their actions, Jesus’ body would have ended up in the common grave which was little better than a garbage dump outside the Jerusalem city wall.

2. Stewardship requires we do our best with what we have

Time was against them. Joseph had to obtain permission to bury the Lord’s body before he was just thrown away. The start of Sabbath loomed as they prepared his body for burial. I see them reverently hurrying in their task, wishing that they could do more.

The return of the women returned with additional spices gives the impression that they were unable to do all they wanted. Whether or not that is the case, both men showed more reverence and respect to the Lord in his death than the other men crucified that day received.

The outcome of our stewardship is not the perfect execution of a task. It is not reaching maximum levels of productivity. The expectation of every steward is that they be faithful in the task they are complete. We may wish we could have done more, but our focus should instead be, ‘was I faithful with what I had?’

3. Stewardship requires courage

Until now, Joseph was a secret disciple of Jesus. (John 19:38) He disagreed with the council’s decision to condemn Jesus (Luke 23:50-51,) but had to watch as his dissension made no difference to their decision. But there was something that he could make a different in.

In Mark’s account of the crucifixion, it states that Jospeh “…gathered up courage and went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.” (Mark 15:43) He suppressed his fear in light of what he needed to do.

Joseph had feared the Jews’ response to his association with Jesus. He also reminds the reader in v39 that he was joined by a man who first came to Jesus at a time when no one would see his association. This day though, their allegiance with Jesus was evident for any who saw. But it took courage.

To stand with Jesus and to live according to God’s Word takes courage from all of us. Previous fears must be overcome, and courage found. If these two men could do it on that day, can we no be courageous and live in association with him today.

4. Stewardship comes with a cost

The decision both these men made would cost them dearly. There was the material cost of purchasing spices and linen cloth. There was the opportunity cost of giving up a tomb that was intended for another purpose. And, there was the cost of association.

Word would get back to the council about what they had done. Their seats on that body would likely be forfeit as a result. Nicodemus’ ability to continue in the sect of the Pharisees would be in doubt. What would the impact on their social and family lives be? It cost them a great deal.

In the immediate, they would be considered unclean because of touching a dead body. The law prevented them from observing the Sabbath because of this and they were unable to re-enter society for a set period of time too.

The cost was significant on so many levels. But they considered it worth it. Their devotion to the Lord and service to him was greater than all that it might cost.

Our association with Jesus and our actions as stewards of his property, gifts, and resources will cost us all something. The question we must ask ourselves is whether we are prepared to pay that cost for the sake of following him?

I do not want this article to detract in any way from the significance of Easter to a Christian. I hope that it has given you reason to pause and consider some of the wider scene painted in the gospels, and to consider how faithful Jospeh and Nicodemus were in their stewardship of the Lord that day.

Stewardship Component 5 – Assessment

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We’ve made it to our final component to consider: Assessment. This is where stewardship activity culminates and the activity we have taken is reviewed.

Reacquaint yourself with the parables Jesus told in Matthew 25:14-30 and Luke 19:11-27. I will be referring to them both in today’s post.

No surprises here

The parables ending with an assessment would not surprise Jesus’s audience. It was expected when the masters instructed their men and set expectations on their actions. While the instruction is implied in Matthew’s parable, the nobleman in Luke’s story was very to his servants. “Do business with this money until I come back.” 

This instruction…

  • …is specific to the activity the steward was to complete – “Do business…”.
  • …focuses on the property entrusted to the steward – “…with this money…”.
  • …was time-bound – “…until I come back.”

Once he returned, it can be assumed that he wanted to know what happened in his absence.

The assessment time arrives and each steward stands before his master. Each gives an account of his activity, and the current state of the master’s property. Based on that report, the master makes his assessment and pronounces his verdict on the steward’s efforts.

An orderly affair

Each steward can to state their case. They know what they are reporting on and each is dealt with individually and based on their actions. This was an orderly event.

We can think that the servant who hid his master’s money was inactive, but, he was as active as those who produced a monetary increase. He knowingly and purposefully chose inaction and was held accountable for it. Do not forget, your Christian life is one of conscious, deliberate action. A stewardship lifestyle does not just happen. Any chosen inactivity is as much action as it seems to be inaction.

The other stewards also made conscious decisions. Theirs were to steward actively and intentionally what the master had trusted to them. They understood the assignment and the expectations, and they too were assessed by their actions. However, in Luke’s account there seems to be a possible disparity between the nature of the review and the assessment the master makes.

Character, not productivity

It is odd that the master’s assessment of the two men who stewarded well does not match the criteria they were being assessed against.

The instruction was to “do business.” Their master even came to see “how much they had made by the business they had done.” But the commendation for the stewards who had produced more property for the master was based around faithfulness, not productivity.

“Since you have been faithful in a very little thing.”

“Well done, good and faithful slave.” 

Reading the parable, we could expect the praise to be based around their productivity or profitability. This is what the assessment criteria was set as. We may expect such commendations as, ‘You had a productivity rate of 1,000%! Amazing! Well done!’ Or, ‘You produced 500% more than you were given. Great job!’

This just isn’t so.

While the master may have come to see how productive they had been, he is more interested in their character and work ethic than the final accumulation of his property.

Do not forget that the primary expectation of a steward is to be faithful. This means understanding what the property owner wants you to do , and then discharging your duty in a trustworthy way. These men were productive. The master couldn’t be anything other than pleased with the extra wealth he now had. But he shows that he was more interested in his stewards’ character.

We will be assessed too

As God’s stewards, we too expect an assessment of our activities. Our final assessment occurs at a place, and an event often referred to in the Bible as the Judgement Seat of Christ.

It already sounds ominous before you get into the detail, doesn’t it?

Three key elements about the Judgement Seat of Christ must be established:

  1. The Judgement Seat of Christ is a place and an event that is only for believers. New Testament writing on the topic are all written to, and about, believers in the Lord Jesus. No reference is ever made to non-believers being present, and the New Testament authors routinely use the pronoun “we” when referring to those who will be there. Thus encompassing the author and his Christian audience.
  2. The Judgement Seat of Christ is different from the Great White Throne Judgement. While both use the word ‘judgement,’ the latter is an entirely different location and event that you find recorded in Revelation 20:11-15. This is a time when all unbelievers will appear before God, be found guilty of their sins, and punished. No Christians appear at this event.
  3. The Judgement Seat of Christ does not determine your salvation. As a believer in Christ, your sins were forgiven when you put your faith in Jesus and “…there is now no condemnation at all for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1) The matter of your salvation was settled when Christ gave Himself as a sacrifice for your sin, no further action is needed on this point.

The Judgement Seat of Christ is, however, a time of assessment. All believers will be examined for the way they lived and what they did with the resources God gave to them. But God’s intention is not to just assess it is to reward as well.

Rewards after assessment

In 2 Corinthians 5:10 we read that each believer will receive ”compensation” – essentially, what is due to them – for the things which they did while they had their earthly bodies. The measure of the reward each believer receives will be “…in accordance with what he has done, whether good or bad…”.

Take a moment to grasp this.

While God will assess you at the Judgement seat, His intention is so that He might reward you. His desire is to bless you further for the things which you did while you were here on this earth. For how you lived as a Christian, and how you stewarded His possessions that He entrusted to your care.

In this assessment He takes everything into account. Everything you have done: the good and the bad. And once He has accounted for both negative and positive, He will bless you with a reward. This speaks loudly of how gracious and mighty a God we serve.

As we continue to go about our stewardship activities, may the following verse be a motivation for us, especially as our actions will be examined one day.

Colossians 1:10
“…walk in a manner worthy of the Lord,
to please Him in all respects,
bearing fruit in every good work and
increasing in the knowledge of God”

 

 

Explore Assessment more:

“The Danger of a Productivity Mindset” **Coming soon**

“My responsibility in light of Assessment” **Coming soon**

Stewardship Component 4 – Activity

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In our last post I asked you to consider how you felt you measure up to being a faithful steward. The stewardship component of ‘Activity’ is the indicator on how well you meet the expectations set for a steward.

You may think it strange that it has taken four articles to get to the activity of stewardship. This is deliberate. It is essential that any activity we take  be in light of the ownership, relationship, and expectations of stewardship.

Activity is a given

Whatever we steward, a resource or a circumstance, we must expect to be active. Whatever we have been given to care for, manage, or use, the activities we each undertake will be different. But activity will be there in some way, shape, or form.

We cannot get by without doing anything. Even in the parables we have considered, the seeming inactivity of the servant who hid his master’s money was as much him being active in his stewardship as the other servant who went and made more money.

This article is not going to outline for you the ‘Ten Most Important Activities of a Steward.’ While that is a catchy headline, the individual nature of stewardship makes that difficult to do. Plus. it wouldn’t ultimately help you. What I want to do with you is consider the environment we conduct our stewardship activities in as that can influence our faithfulness.

A story that sounded a lot like real life

In Luke 19:11-27 Jesus paints a picture of a nobleman going away to receive a kingdom. A delegation from his community is also sent to oppose his claim. This was familiar to Jesus’ audience of events at the start of Herod Archelaus’ rule over Judea.

Archelaus was the son of Herod the Great. The Herod the Great who ruled when Jesus was born. The man who authorized the slaughter of baby boys in and around Bethlehem. When Herod the Great died Archelaus had a claim to his position. But absolute power did not reside with Herod the Great. He was a local ruler under the authority of the Roman emperor. Therefore, Archelaus had to petition Caesar Augustus for the right to rule in his father’s place.

In the short  time that elapsed between Herod the Great’s death and his departure for Rome Archelaus slaughtered approximately 3,000 people inside the temple in Jerusalem. It showed what type of ruler he would be. To safeguard the local populous, a delegation went after him to Rome to convince Caesar that he was not a suitable option for ruler. Ultimately, Archelaus was given the rule of Samaria, Judea, and Idumea. He was in power when Joseph, Mary, and Jesus returned from Egypt. (Matthew 2:22)

It all sounds rather familiar to the opening lines of the parable. Jesus was a masterful storyteller. He used historical events to draw His audience into the story and then presents his point on the kingdom of heaven that He wants them to learn.

In this parable, think about the environment those servants completed their stewardship in.

Anything but favourable

They were in a familiar environment. They had not been sent them away to new locations to work. Their stewardship activities were in a community and an environment they knew well. While that was the case, it was also a hostile environment. The community hated their master. They felt strongly enough that they were actively attempting to thwart his rise to power.

This was the environment these men entered to do business.

They were associated with a man the community hated and they were expected to do business in their master’s name in his absence. Anonymity was not an option. They could not hide behind modern communication devices as we can. They would have had to personally interact with members of the community – any number of which could have agreed to the opposition of their master.

Can you see any parallels between this parable and the environment you operate in as a steward?

We are active in a hostile environment

We do not have to look far to see that our society rejects Jesus Christ. It has turned its back on God. It is in this environment that we conduct our stewardship.

There are many ways our society is hostile to our activity as stewards. They may oppose specific activities we undertake, but fundamentally their entire way of thinking  is opposite to a stewardship mindset. It is a society that is moving in the opposite direction to the way a Christ-follower is going. Christian stewards swim against the current.

Knowing this, the prospect of engaging with such a society is difficult. It takes courage and strength to live faithfully for God in such a place. There will be temptation to go along with the direction everything else is moving in. To be inconspicuous. To not cause a stir.

But the life of a Christian is counter cultural on every level. It is a life that pursues the things of God and not the things of this world.

If we are to live faithfully as stewards, we will move in a different direction. We will act in ways that aren’t considered normal by the wider populous. But it is not the individuals in society who will assess what we do. We serve God in our stewardship, and he will assess our work. So, let’s work for Him, and to His expectations.

 

Up Next:

Component 5 – Assessment

Explore Activity more:

“The Danger of Selective Effort” **Coming soon**

“My responsibility in light of Activity” **Coming soon**

Stewardship Component 3 – Expectations

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As we continue exploring the 5 components of Biblical stewardship, the third component to consider is ‘Expectations.’ I am continuing to pull on two parables Jesus taught for some illustrations in these posts. You can read the full text of both parables here…

What are expectations?

Expectations are all around us. They are put on us, and we place them on others. Unmet or miscommunicated expectations are a major source of conflict in relationships, workplaces, families, and communities.

The word “expect” is often defined as something that is considered reasonable, due, or necessary. Expectations extend these considerations. When what I expect is transferred to someone else, it becomes an expectation. A teacher may expect her student to work hard. The expectation is placed on the student, and the nature of the expectation is hard work. Similarly, the city you live in expects property owners to pay their property taxes. The expectation is placed on the property owner, and its nature is a paid tax bill.

Do we see expectations in our two parables?

In Luke 19, the expectation set by the nobleman is clear. He entrusts his minas to his servants and instructs them to “Do business with this money until I come back.” The instruction is clearly stated. It places the expectation on the servants, and the nature of the expectation is that his property was to be used in business transactions during his absence.

In Matthew 25, you need infer an expectation from the text. Prior to taking his journey, the man entrusts his talents to the servants, but no clear or direct instruction is given as in Luke’s parable. However, when the man returns it is recorded that he “…settled accounts with them.”

Regardless of whether the instruction was given, an expectation existed that these servants were being assessed against. The nature of that assessment reveals that the expectation that they have used what they received for their master for gain. This is evidenced in the servants’ presentations to the master, “See, I have earned…”. (v20, 22)

From each parable we could extrapolate other expectations. We can consider how, when the master returned, he expected to see that his instructions had been carried out. There would be a product of their work for him to assess. Similarly, the stewards could expect such an assessment of their efforts. This could be assumed when they were set this task.

Servants before stewards

Expectations exist in our stewardship too. Consider what Paul writes in these two verses:

1 Corinthians 4:1-2

1 This is the way any person is to regard us: as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.
2 In this case, moreover, it is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy [faithful].

 

Paul wants onlookers to regard God’s servants as stewards. However, stewardship is linked with service first. We are servants first, and then stewards. Isn’t this what we observe in Jesus’ parables? The men who were summoned are referred to as “servants” and “slaves.” The task they were assigned turned them into stewards, but they were servants first.

As Christ-followers this is true of us too. Before we can ever be stewards, we must first be servants. This takes us back to the content in Unit 1 when we considered that not only does God own everything, but he also has rights of ownership to us as well. While redemption released us from our enslavement to sin we voluntarily placed ourselves in service to God, Romans 6:22.

We are servants. Servants of the almighty God, the Creator of Heaven and earth. The one who sits enthroned on high, to whom all power, and might belong, who is deserving of our praise, worship, and adoration. The one to whom, by his own mercy, we should “present [our] bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is [our] spiritual service of worship.” (Romans 12:1)

Stewards are to be faithful

As stewards we are first servants of Christ. Men and women in service to God who work to bring about his purposes and desires, for his glory. In 1 Corinthians 4:2 we get right to the heart of what is expects of us.

Stewards are expected to be trustworthy.

Or as some translations have it, “faithful”.

In the discharge of their duties, and the use of the property that is entrusted to them, they are to be faithful. It is a very reasonable expectation for a person entrusting their property to another to have.

The trustworthiness or faithfulness of the steward indicates how likely a property owner is to get their property returned to them. An unfaithful steward will think primarily about themselves. They will act in their own best interests and not those of the one whose property they are stewarding.

The Greek word pistos that Paul uses has a clear association. These individuals can be relied upon. Persons that demonstrate they are faithful in the transaction of business, the execution of commands, or the discharge of official duties.

If this is the expectation that God has of his stewards, we should all ask ourselves: “How do I measure up?”

 

Up Next:

Component 4 – Activity **Coming soon**

Explore Expectations more:

“The Danger of Unawareness” **Coming soon**

“My responsibility in light of Expectations” **Coming soon**

Stewardship Component 2 – Relationship

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Welcome back to our series exploring the 5 components of Biblical stewardship. The second component we are considering is ‘Relationship.’ This is closely connected to ‘Ownership.’ Understanding this component gives us confidence in our stewardship responsibilities being well suited to us.

As I mentioned in the Introduction, I am pulling on two parables Jesus taught for some illustrations in these posts. You can read the full text of both here…

Relationships in the parables

In each parable the settings are similar. A property owner must leave home and undertake a journey. Prior to his departure he calls several of his servants to him and entrusts parts of his property – a set amount of money – to each of them. This is done with instructions and an expectation that they perform certain activities with it in his absence.

There is then a gap in the narrative while the man is absent and then servants are performing their stewardship activities, but it commences again on his return. When he has come home, he looks for an accounting of the work that has been undertaken, and rewards the men based on the actions they took.

There are three relationships we can highlight from these parables:

  1. The property owner has a relationship with each man he makes a steward.
  2. Each steward has a relationship with his fellow-servants who undertook a stewardship.
  3. The stewards would have conducted their business in relationship with others in the wider community.

This post focuses on what we can learn from the primary relationship between property owner and steward. (The other two relationships will be addressed in future posts.)

The Owner – Steward relationship

This is the easiest relationship to identify from our texts. It is evidenced by phrases such as “…he called ten of his own slaves…” (Luke 19:13), “Master, your mina…” (Luke 19:16), and “…enter the joy of your master…” (Matthew 25:21).

Without this relationship there is no stewardship. The master acts, and the servants act because of the relationship between them. That relationship takes on an additional dimension when property is entrusted to the steward.

The parables do not simply identify the relationship that exists, but we see some of the depth and dimension of that relationship. There are six very important words in Matthew’s parable that I want to draw out in this context of relationship between property owner and steward.

 

Matthew 25:15
“…each according to his own ability…”.

Intentionality

These six words are a very important detail. They shed a great deal of light onto the relationship between the property owner and his servants.

He knew them.

He really knew them.

What they could handle.

And, what they could not.

He then took this knowledge and used it to influence how much of his possessions he gave to each servant.

When I consider this the adjective that comes to mind is intentionality. It was not a raffle or lottery to see who got what. The property owner was deliberate in his actions when he considered what he knew about each of his servants. There was a reason one received five talents but another just one. He took what he knew about his servants and used that when giving them their stewardship responsibilities.

Rakes and leaf blowers

There are several big, beautiful, mature silver maples and black walnut trees in our garden. Every fall we have lots of leaves to collect. Over time I have invested in a leaf blower to help make the job a little easier. Since the day I bought it, my son wanted to use it, but he didn’t get to until this last fall.

This was partly because of a rule we have in our family that if you haven’t learned to use a manual tool well you can’t use the power tool equivalent. Also, knowing my son and I knew some of what would, or would not, have happened if he got his hands on the leaf blower.

For a time he was too young to physically use it. When he was physically able he would not have used it wisely or well. Dogs would have been chased and family members blasted with hurricane force winds. It would not have ended well.

But the fall he was 12, he was ready. He had proved he could use a rake and would somewhat willingly collect the leaves alongside me. He had matured enough to know that terrorizing animals is not acceptable in our family, no matter how fun it may appear. And so, he got to use the leaf blower.

And do you know what? He did a great job. I spent more time with a rake that fall than he did.

Why do I share this? To put a real-life illustration on what it can look like to be intentional when entrusting something to another person. It doesn’t happen outside of a relationship. It doesn’t happen in relationships that have no depth or where the property owner has only a cursory awareness of the steward’s ability.

God is intentional with his stewardship assignments

When we consider our positions as stewards of God’s property, gifts, and resources, God occupies the position of the property owner in the parable. He can decide who he gives his property to. He can determine if one person receives something different to another, or if someone receives more of one thing than one of their peers.

Just as with the property owner in the story, this is not done indiscriminately but with great intentionality. God takes his knowledge of us and in his sovereignty entrusts each of us with different things at different times in our lives according to each of our own abilities. This is what we have confidence in when we act as stewards. Not our ability to do it well. But in the fact that this resource, or circumstance, is perfectly suited to us because God knows us better than we know ourselves. (If you need to be reminded of how well God knows you, take some time and read Psalm 139.)

 

Up Next:

Component 3 – Expectations

Explore Relationship more:

Relationship – The Danger of Comparison

“My responsibility in light of Relationship” **Coming soon**