(This is Part III in a three-part series. We recommend starting with Part I: “Why Does Jesus Make Stewardship a Central Theme?”)
As we realize how often Jesus taught on stewardship, it becomes obvious that understanding this topic is extremely important. Because we, as disciples of Christ, are all stewards, it is essential to know what that means. In any job, an immense obstacle to achieving goals is not having a clear description of our duties. If we do not know what we should be doing, it is unlikely that we will do it. We need to understand our responsibilities as stewards and what is expected of us.
Stewards must be faithful.
Stewards, by their position of high responsibility and trust, have high accountability for their actions. “It is required of stewards that they be found faithful.” (I Cor. 4:2). It is not optional; a steward must be faithful to remain in that position.
This is why in the parable of the talents the high responsibility of the stewards has such dramatic consequences for the stewards – for good or bad. The faithful stewards are praised, rewarded, and honored. The unfaithful steward was sternly rebuked and thrown “into the outer darkness” where “there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matt. 25:30).
Our stewardship is a test of our faithfulness. How we handle our money and possessions is the easiest test of our stewardship. And because basic money matters are often easy to understand, it is convenient to teach stewardship through those. We can quickly see if someone has been faithful with money. However, we must also be faithful in our stewardship of our time, abilities, and positions of authority.
Time: The time God gives us melts away. In the modern world, for instance, the average person has been given more time than any other average person in history. Among many other inventions, the washing machine has given us many hours a week to spend however we would like. Are we faithful with that gift or do we spend vast amounts of time consuming entertainment? Leisure activities are not bad, but there are profitable (and less profitable) leisure activities. Developing a skill (like playing an instrument or painting) or building relationships through sports, games, or conversation can all turn a profit on the time that God has given you.
Abilities: Stewarding our time is similar to but slightly different from stewarding our abilities. We should not waste our time with unprofitable or harmful activities, but how we approach meaningful activities is also important to stewardship. In the parable of the talents, the master explains that a minimum effort is putting the talents in the bank to receive interest. The minimum stewardship of our abilities is doing meaningful activities. But we can do meaningful activities in a half-hearted, unwilling way or we can throw our whole mind and creativity into the activity. You can check a box or you can create masterpieces. You can do something in an acceptable way or you can strive for excellence in whatever you do. 1 Peter 4:10-11 explains:
“As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
Or as Colossians 3:23-24 puts it,
“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.”
Christians should not be known for their mediocrity. We should be the elite bankers, plumbers, businessmen, and window washers. All that the gifts God has given us should turn a profit and bring His name glory!
Positions of Authority: Faithful stewardship also means using positions of authority well. Leaders have an outsized impact on those under them. This is displayed all throughout Kings and Chronicles in the Old Testament. Evil kings, like Ahab, could introduce idol worship and lead his people into wicked acts. A good king, like Josiah, could throw down the pagan altars and inspire his nation to seek after God again. Elders in the church are “God’s stewards” (Titus 1:7). Here the Apostle Paul makes it clear that their responsibility as a steward in leadership is to meet the list of qualifications. To steward a leadership position well, we must meet a high standard of behavior and character. We must be a model to those around us. Maybe you are not a king or elder, but almost all of us have positions of authority – even if it is just uncle, aunt, or older sibling. Our faithful or unfaithful stewardship sets an example for which God will hold us accountable.
Stewards must be wise and bold.
A foolish steward is a very bad steward indeed. Who would trust a fool to manage anything? If we are foolish, why would God give us more to steward? In the parable of the minas in Luke 19, the nobleman seizes the mina from the foolish, unfaithful servant and gives it to the wise steward. In fact, foolishness is the way of the wicked. The nobleman calls him a wicked servant because of his foolish decisions as steward. To not be an active, diligent steward is to be a wicked steward. The wicked steward did nothing with his mina because he was afraid to lose it.
“Then another came, saying, ‘Lord, here is your mina, which I kept laid away in a handkerchief; 21 for I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man. You take what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.’ 22 He said to him, ‘I will condemn you with your own words, you wicked servant! You knew that I was a severe man, taking what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow?”
We have no excuse for not being active, diligent stewards. This means we must be bold. We must be like our master who is not ruled by fear. Boldness must be tempered by wisdom, however, or it can become another form of foolishness. Boldness without wisdom is recklessness. We should do our research, consult experts, and move confidently.
Stewards are responsible for finding opportunities.
Christ reveals that not doing anything with our gifts is laziness. The master calls the bad steward a “wicked and slothful servant!” (Matt. 25). Wicked? What did he do that was wicked? He sat on his hands. He did not find investment opportunities. Christ calls his slothfulness wicked. That means stewards are required to be hard, active workers. But we should not just be spinning our own personal hamster wheel getting nowhere. He expects His stewards to find opportunities. We must go out, work intelligently, and then trust our Lord to bless those efforts. Depending on our gifting, this may mean finding good counsel. As Solomon said, “in the multitude of counselors, there is safety.” (Prov. 11:14b) It means we need to keep informed of what is happening around us–not in a panicky, fearful way, but in an optimistic, opportunity finding way. From the Rothschilds to the Medici’s, the greatest investors in history developed extensive intelligence networks to find opportunities first. On a small scale, this could look like being involved in local organizations and finding out about real estate opportunities. Or it could mean hiring people (accountants, financial advisors, lawyers, etc.) who can help you find tax or investment opportunities. However you do it, it is ultimately your responsibility to work diligently, seek good counsel, and find opportunities.
Conclusion of the matter:
Stewards have a high level of responsibility and accountability. Because we are stewards (whether we acknowledge it or not) we will be held accountable. We are responsible to turn a profit on the talents God has given us. We do not want to fail our Master and Lord. We owe him everything – the least we can do is serve Him well and diligently.
Be encouraged. With God’s grace, you can do it.
He only gives us what we are capable of managing well. Matthew 25:15 says, “to one, he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability.”
So be strong and courageous in the work that He has put before you. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Eph. 2:10).
Author: Stephen Rohrer
All Scripture quotations are from the English Standard Version (ESV) unless otherwise noted.
