As we continue this series on lessons God wants us to learn from economic recession we look at how our Christian faith gives us a different perspective on our situation. The biggest change in perspective involves the term “stewardship”. As the parable in Matthew 25 illustrates, God blesses us in a lot of ways, but he expects us to use these blessings for the benefit of his kingdom.
When we don’t have God in our lives our jobs, our retirement accounts, our investments, etc. exist to make our lives more comfortable or enjoyable. When we don’t acknowledge God’s role in our lives we naturally regard anything we achieve as a result of our skills and efforts. (Strangely, when our lives stink we seem to naturally blame anyone except ourselves!)
Accepting the concept of stewardship loosens our grip on our possessions. We possess them, but we’re holding them for someone else, God. So when economic hardship bites, we’re not so much concerned with what we lose, but how we’re using what we have.
Stewardship also helps us prepare for times of belt tightening. When we consider that we’re spending God’s money not ours, we’re more likely to forego frivolous spending. And the less we spend, the more we can save. We then find ourselves in a better position to get through tight times with less stress. We also find ourselves in a better position to demonstrate God’s love and mercy through our generous living.
Is stewardship a Godly principle you’ve applied in your life? If so, what practical changes has it made? Also, I don’t really like the term “steward” as I can’t think of another context where we use it. Can you think of another word that conveys the same meaning that more people might understand without a lengthy explanation?
