Thursday: Stewardship
Christ wants us to live a holy life. His life illustrates “holiness” and what ultimate stewardship should look like (Heb. 9:14). We should manage our lives in a way that is pleasing to God, including how we manage all that we have been entrusted with. Stewardship is an expression of that holiness.
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Compare 1 Peter 1:15-16 with Hebrews 12:14. What do “be holy” and “holiness” mean? How does this relate to our stewardship?
The Romans discovered that a chariot wheel lasted longer if a band of iron was placed around the rim. The craftsman heated the metal to expand it just enough to slip it over the rim. Cold water shrank it to a tight fit. The band of iron then made contact with the road as the wheel turned.
The iron band on the rim can represent the concept of stewardship. This is the moment of truth, where our spiritual lives rub against our practical lives. It is where our faith meets the ups and downs of life through successes and failures. It is where our beliefs get real in the rough-and-tumble scuffles of daily living. Stewardship is the outer wrapping of who we are and what we do. It is a witness of our conduct and of a life well managed. Our daily actions that reveal Christ are like the iron on the wheel that touches the road.
Actions are powerful and must be controlled by our commitment to Christ. We are to live with this assurance and promise: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phil. 4:13, NKJV).
“The sanctification of the soul by the working of the Holy Spirit is the implanting of Christ’s nature in humanity. Gospel religion is Christ in the life – a living, active principle. It is the grace of Christ revealed in character and wrought out in good works. The principles of the gospel cannot be disconnected from any department of practical life. Every line of Christian experience and labor is to be a representation of the life of Christ.” – Ellen G. White, Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 384.
| Look at your daily life, your daily existence. What about it reveals the reality of Christ in you, working in you, making you a new being? What conscious choices do you need to make in order to see His holiness revealed in you? |
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Hebrew 12:14 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, twithout which no one will see the Lord
The above text really hit me. the word Pursue: strive for, push towards, work towards, put into context how much God wants us to be at peace with all people.
There was a car that was trying to push in front of me during slow moving traffic, sad to admit, normally I would prevent the other car from getting in front of me, which would often result in flared tempers and I'm sure not a good feeling for the other driver and definitely not for me. This time I chose to give way, the car moved in front of me, I stayed calm, and I would hope the other driver was pleasantly suprise to have got into a space without any hassle.
May God continue to help us all to be peace makers in all areas of our lives.
Thank you for sharing a very practical example from your experience.
Seeing more such sharing would make our blog even more interesting, don't you think?
In our present world we represent Christ who is likened to the iron on the wheel. Christ and only Christ living through us is that power that touches the road. Humans we come in contact with (family, friends, strangers even enemies ) are the road. If the rim is not intact; our witness, our conduct and our life is ill-managed BUT if it is, others will benefit from our personal stewardship to God.
Stewardship has to do with Character, our attitude about life. What the scriptures simply says that when we become like Christ, and emulate Christ as we see HIM, Christ will be the Center of our life, our Joy, all the good and perfect come form HIM.
And as we take care of everything God gives us is the same as the iron strip on the wheel. Our work as manager is the outer covering of our lives that everyone
sees.
We have need to really learn to be faithful and be humble. And those who endure to the end, the same shall be save.
Christianity is not a life in a bubble where we are insulated from the worldly afflictions. we are stewards of the message of Christ. We are to cultivate the land and plant seeds. Not all seeds produce a yield. Germination and yield of the seed is produced by God. We are called to work diligently while there is a daylight.
Faithful stewards are any who keep the commandments of God and have the faith/testimony of Jesus, who's life revealed the express image of God, who is holy. For sinners, to trust and obey is what the Word of God requires of all who love the Lord with all their heart.
This Word has called each to "deny himself, take up his cross and follow Me".
What are we to deny? "Ungodliness and worldly lust..."(titus 2:12).
Why should any do this? For the goodness of God, and His exceeding great and precious promises, all made sure in Christ, so there remains a Blessed Hope for the faithful stewards of God.
Well, Robert, your comment just ruled out any human from being a "faithful steward" since only Jesus Christ was in "the express image of God."
However, I believe it is our privilege to reflect the character of Jesus according to our level of maturity and experience. While we may not reflect "the express image of God," His Spirit uses even our flawed reflection to His glory. It is amazing how God can use very flawed human beings as channels to draw others to Himself. To Him be the glory!
A clarification if I may. As I read it, Robert's post isn't saying the stewards were the express image of God. The 'who's life...' is referring to Jesus. It is an adjectival phrase modifying the (proper) noun Jesus, with 'life' being in singular form matching with the singular of Jesus - whereas the noun 'stewards' is in plural form.
However, your second paragraph still stands Inge!
Yes, Phil, thank you for the correction. I read a bit too hastily. My apologies to Robert.
I would like us all to keep in mind that God does not ask for "perfection" in human terms. What He wants is our whole-hearted service, and that may look different from one person to another, since we are all at different stages in our Christian journey.
True, perfection is not to be measured by human terms(Matt 5:48).
Yes, this will be according to the light that has illuminated one's path, which for the just is "as a light that shines more and more unto the perfect day". No standing still, only steady advancement along the narrow way.
Sad that few will find it.
Yes Inge, the importance and relevance of the point you are hilighting cannot be overstated. Correctly understood, it puts to rest a lot of arguments about 'how sanctified do I have to be before I can be saved'.
I find that Paul understood clearly what you are saying - and hence why his approach/philosophy towards his daily living was Phil 3:13.
Thanks, Phil, for pointing us to Phil 3:13. I believe it highlights the fact that it is not the amount or lack of our achievement that matters, but the direction in which we are moving: Are we moving closer to Christ, or are we moving farther away from Him? By that standard, the drug addict who is just taking his first faltering steps in faith is in a better position than the long-time preacher in the pulpit who no longer feels his continuing need of Christ - or, for that matter, any other person who is no longer seeking to be closer to Christ.
Phil, is it just me, or does the question: "how sanctified do I have to be" just reek with unbelief? It seems all about personal performance and almost dread, and not focused on our great gift in Christ and the privilege to partake of His likeness. There are two classes in the church; those who love His appearing and those who dread it.
Those who believe are best represented by the hymns; "More About Jesus" and "Nearer My God To Thee".
Spot on Inge! If I combine what you have said, it is the direction that our 'heart' is headed in that is of vital importance. If only that truth would be shared and realised far and wide! 1 Sam 16:7 indeed.
What does to persue peace mean? Does it mean biting your tongue, when someone has an outburst after your contribution to the ss lesson, baring you are not provoking. I do believe Brother Peterson had it right with his interpretation in the Message. “Work at getting along with each other and with God.” Many years ago I read the rules and/or guidelines for this very blog. ‘“Refrain from writing like you know it all”. I have been guilty of that. Let the other have the upper hand 1/2 the time. Sometimes it is best just not to reply.. If you have the sermon for the day let others do the preaching in Sabbbath school. There are so many things you can do to get along. Have a disagreement let it go there, don’t carry it into church and after church meal. Drop it for next Sabbath and move on to things you agree with. Another peace maker chacheteristic is to make this a habit: if you don't have anything good to say about someone, don’t say it. My father taught me that. Most of us know how to be peace makers, but many times we need to pray for the strength, yes He has even given us the motivation to persue peace. Hebrews 12:14.
So relevant and practical, John. Your comment also reminds me of Ro. 12:10. Thank you.