Written by Stephen Rohrer, Wealth Manager
What distinguishes a good steward from a bad steward?
Faithfulness vs. unfaithfulness certainly tops the list. As Paul said, “It is required of stewards that they be found faithful.” (I Cor. 4:2). A good steward is certainly a faithful steward.
How can we be faithful in our duties as stewards? What does God say faithful stewardship looks like?
The Parable of the Minas
In the parable of minas in Luke 19, Christ tells a story that reveals how our Master thinks about stewardship:
11 As they heard these things, he proceeded to tell a parable, because he was near to Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately.
12 He said therefore, “A nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return. 13 Calling ten of his servants, he gave them ten minas, and said to them, ‘Engage in business until I come.’
14 But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to reign over us.’
15 When he returned, having received the kingdom, he ordered these servants to whom he had given the money to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by doing business.
16 The first came before him, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made ten minas more.’ 17 And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.’
18 And the second came, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made five minas.’ 19 And he said to him, ‘And you are to be over five cities.’
20 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? 23 Why then did you not put my money in the bank, and at my coming I might have collected it with interest?’
24 And he said to those who stood by, ‘Take the mina from him, and give it to the one who has the ten minas.’
25 And they said to him, ‘Lord, he has ten minas!’
26 ‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 27 But as for these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slaughter them before me.’”
What were the failings of the wicked servant?
First, he had knowledge of his master, but he lacked the wisdom to apply that knowledge to his stewardship.
Secondly, instead of being motivated to act boldly because of his master’s boldness and severity, he is paralyzed by fear.
He lacked wisdom and boldness. Because he lacked those two elements, he failed his master and was unfaithful to the trust.
Christ makes it clear that we have no excuse for not being active, diligent stewards.
This means we must be both wise and bold like our master. These two elements must walk hand-in-hand. Boldness must be tempered by wisdom or it can become another form of foolishness. Boldness without wisdom is recklessness.
Wisdom without Boldness
Wisdom without boldness looks like King Solomon when he began to take pagan wives. He had the wisdom to know it was foolish, but he lacked the boldness to act upon it. Our own Benjamin Franklin is a similar example. He truly had wit, insight, and even wisdom. His proverbs in Poor Richard’s Almanac such as “Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise” are so memorable have influenced our sayings to this day. However, for much of his life, he did not act boldly on his own wise advice.
How many unnamed individuals (probably including you and I) have seen an opportunity or been given wise advice but have not acted upon it. I know I have had times in my life where I have had an opportunity or knew I ought to do something, but I procrastinated. I hemmed and hawed. I filled my time with other things. Sadly, this often happens with things like our wills and estate planning. We often know that it would be wise to lay out our final wishes, but we fail to act.
Wisdom with Boldness
Wisdom with boldness looks like Esther and Mordecai. Mordecai had the wisdom to see that God put them in a unique place “for such a time as this”. Esther listened to his wise counsel and then boldly risked her life. The story of David and Goliath is another excellent example. David had the wisdom to see that allowing this pagan enemy to revile the Living God was wrong. But so did King Saul and all the warriors of Israel! What was different? David acted decisively upon that wisdom. He boldly marched out to the giant and slew him. The good stewards in the parable of the minas were bold as well. They went out and risked their master’s money “by doing business” (v. 15). Was there risk of loss? Indeed, there was. The fearful steward makes that obvious.
However, the good stewards clearly took these risks wisely with careful calculations. If they had simply gone down to the tavern and chanced it all on one throw of the dice, I doubt the master would have commended them – even if it had doubled his money. That would not be “[engaging] in business” like the master commanded. I say this because some have called investing in stocks, “Christian gambling”. However, investing in and owning a piece of a company (buying a stock) is entirely different from taking a chance on the roll of the dice or turn of the wheel. There is absolute risk involved with both, but a company engaged in business is building the economy by providing goods and services that help people.
What are the Stakes?
The parable of the minas shows us how seriously the master takes this. For those who fulfill their stewardship duties wisely and boldly, the master rewards magnificently. First, they are praised – “Well done, good servant!”. Imagine the God of the universe, our Lord and Master, praising us! I, for one, can hardly even fathom the overwhelming honor that would be. Next, the good stewards are no longer managing just money but are entrusted with authority over many cities.
However, the penalty for being ruled by fear and folly is terrible. First, the master considers us a “wicked servant”. As an inverse of the praise, how utterly crushing would it be to be condemned as a wicked servant by the Lord of Hosts. Second, he takes what he gave us to manage and gives it to the best steward. We would have our opportunity to manage anything for our King taken away from us.
We ought to feel an urgency to be good stewards while we can! Our King is returning.
The stakes are very high.
What Then Should We Do?
We should do our research, consult experts, and move confidently.
We must be bold and wise like our master. If we lack wisdom, we should ask God, like James 1:5 says, “who gives generously to all without reproach”. Furthermore, we should seek out counsel for “without counsel plans fail, but with many advisors they succeed” (Prov. 15:22). But then we must act upon that wisdom and advice. Be encouraged! If we work hard, good comes of it. “In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty” (Prov. 14:23). Even if that profit is not immediate riches in God’s providence, we still learn and grow through work. Be doubly encouraged. We are where God wants us. Like Esther and the stewards in the parables, God has entrusted us with opportunities.
Let’s be diligent. Let’s be wisely bold. Let’s make the most of the opportunities God has given us.
All Scripture quotations are from the English Standard Version (ESV) unless otherwise noted.
