The Grass is Greener for Good Stewards

Last updated on: September 19, 2012 at 9:18 am by Tim

The Grass is Greener for Good Stewards 2012-09-19T09:18:55-05:00 Tim

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Sometimes it’s tempting to think about the life we’re working toward. We can’t wait until _____________ (fill in the blank). That something could be school, a better job, a bigger paycheck, a newer car or house, or better health. Don’t get me wrong, these things can motivate us sometimes when we feel overwhelmed, and can help to stay on track. But when the ‘next phase’ is all that we think about, we risk losing sight of what we have in front of us.

The idea that the grass is always greener on the other side is simply misleading. If you’re a motivated and driven person, what makes you think that as soon as you reach the next phase in your life that you’ll suddenly be satisfied to stop moving forward? I hope that I never plateau in areas like education, my relationships, or my faith. There’s always something more to work towards, but we can’t forget what we have now.

That’s the idea of stewardship. It’s not about planning for the things we hope to have one day – it’s about managing the things we have today.

In the book of Corinthians, Paul is writing to the Corinthian church and makes it a point to emphasize stewardship.

Corinthians 4:1-2

So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God. Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.

The word entrusted in the Greek is oikonomos, which means steward or manager of a household. This is the same word that Jesus uses when he shared the parable of the watchful servant.

Luke 12:35-47

The Lord answered, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.

As an oikonomos (steward), you were entrusted not only with the household possessions, but also with managing the other servants, and even in making decisions on behalf of the master. You would have full reign to call the shots, but it was expected that you would make those decisions with the mind of your master.

Today we have that same responsibility. We have the freedom to call our own shots, to make our own decisions, and to use our possessions as we wish. But if we truly want to be an oikonomos type of steward*,* then our decisions need to be made with Christ, our master, at the center.

Don’t think for one second that your current situation isn’t worth your fullest attention and stewardship. If we aren’t able to manage what little we have now, how can we expect to be entrusted with more later?

For a Biblical perspective on stewardship, check out our 6-part series on financial stewardship.

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