Friday: Further Thought – The Marks of a Steward
Further Thought: Another mark of a good steward is individual accountability.
“It has ever been the design of Satan to draw the minds of the people from Jesus to man, and to destroy individual accountability.
Image © Stan Myers from GoodSalt.com
Satan failed in his design when he tempted the Son of God; but he succeeded better when he came to fallen man. Christianity became corrupted.” – Ellen G. White, Early Writings, p. 213.
With Christ at the center of our being, we are open to His guidance. As a result, our faith, loyalty, obedience, clear conscience, trustworthiness, and individual accountability will be revealed in our lives. Thus, as stewards, we are made complete in the hands of God (Ps. 139:23-24).
Individual accountability is an essential biblical principle. While on earth, Jesus was individually accountable to the Father (John 8:28). We are accountable for every idle word (Matt. 12:36). “For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required”(Luke 12:48, NKJV). The biggest threat to individual accountability, though, is the tendency to transfer our responsibilities to someone else. “Let it be borne in mind that it is not our own property which is entrusted to us for investment. If it were, we might claim discretionary power; we might shift our responsibility upon others, and leave our stewardship with them. But this cannot be, because the Lord has made us individually His stewards.” – Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 7, p. 177.
Discussion Questions:
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"...as stewards, we are made complete in the hands of God (Ps. 139:23-24)."
"With Christ at the center of our being, we are open to His guidance. As a result, our faith, loyalty, obedience, clear conscience, trustworthiness, and individual accountability will be revealed in our lives."
It is good to try to be good! But all that we try to be by ourselves alone is in vain! We must not forget that our works may be considered as nothing if we forget the essence behind them all, which has to be LOVE! More important than all of these great characteristics is the relationship with the Fountain of true love that is Christ! He is the only One Who can really transform our lives and make them truly worthy! Shifting our attention to perfection without the essence of it all may be a path to frustration, anger or depression.
Also we have to asked out self this question. What bland are we? And remember that all those categories in this lesson are characteristic of a good steward, and we have to compare them to yourself each moment and each day in our life
...Then as we are branded Christians, and we take assesment of ourselves according to the catsgories of the characteristics of a Christian Steward, we put them into action, remembering to live them not just recite them...
James 2:20,25.