SDA Sabbath School Lesson 9

Wednesday November 27, 1996

Managing God's Goods (Ps. 24:1)

A steward is a person authorized to manage another person's household or estate. To the Christian, being a steward means that we manage well the gifts God has given us. In its broadest sense, "stewardship involves the wise and unselfish use of life."- Paul Smith, Managing God's Goods, p. 21.

Christ demonstrated genuine stewardship through His selflessness, thus teaching us that stewardship involves total self-giving to Him and service to the world. It is willingly sharing for the benefit of others anything and everything God has given to us. Thus, as good stewards we will cease to define life by how much money we earn, the titles we gain, the people we know, where we live, or how much influence we think we have.

What are the five basic areas in which we are to be managers for God?

  1. Gen. 1:26; 2:15
  2. Mal. 3:8-10
  3. Matt. 25:14-28
  4. 1 Cor. 6:19, 20
  5. Eph. 5:15, 16

"Modern science has made earth one vast laboratory for research and experimentation. Such research yields many benefits, but theindustrial revolution has also resulted in air, water, and land pollution.Technology, in some instances, has manipulated nature rather than having managed it wisely.

"We are stewards of this world, and should do everything to maintain life on all levels by keeping the ecological balance intact. In His coming advent, Christ will destroy those who destroy the earth' (Rev. 11:18)." - Seventh-day Adventists Believe, p. 274.

How can you improve your management of the blessings and gifts God has given you? Can you supply more of others' pressing needs bylimiting the supply of your own wants?