Stewarship

My dad worked for the State of Illinois for thirty-two years before retiring a few years ago. His title was Highway Maintainer. He is the one who is mowing grass in the summer and plowing snow in the winter and picking up garbage when there is nothing else to do. Oooooh the prizes he would bring home on the days he picked up trash. Nothing ceased to amaze me on what he would find. One time he brought home a basketball. Another time he even brought home a video tape of a recently released movie. Car seats, tools, even a bike one time. I remember a story one time where dad had said that they had to call the pound because someone dumped a stray out on the side of the road. The things people throw out or lose while driving is staggering. It seemed to pile up in a big state truck rather quickly he said.

Something else that piles up in a hurry is the plastic Wal-Mart bags. Holy cow do those things pile up quicker than I can use them. I try to be resourceful and use them in my small trashcans in the bathroom and bedrooms, but they accumulate faster than I can use them. I have even thought about recycling them in the bins that they have around town because they just do not go away fast enough!
You are probably asking yourself what these two stories have to do with the price of tea in China. I will give you one word. Stewardship. What exactly is stewardship I asked myself? I decided to consult a definition and what I found was this: “1: the office, duties, and obligations of a steward.” Nice. That is very helpful; define the word we are looking for with the word we are looking for. Ok well, let us go and look up the word steward, it says: 1: one employed in a large household or estate to manage domestic concerns (as the supervision of servants, collection of rents, and keeping of accounts),” in other words, a manager. Ok, now we are getting somewhere! A steward is an employee of sorts in a large house or estate. Therefore, that would mean that stewardship is the office, duties, and obligations of an employee in a house or estate; they would manage the household. If we were to consult the Bible to see what God has to say, we would find that we could very well be considered the employee managers of the Planet Earth…stewards. Earth is the biggest estate we have and it does house us all.

With this said, it begs the question where we would be if we were all better stewards of the planet? Well today, we are going to look and see what the Bible has to say and what good stewardship includes. Genesis 1:26-31 will be our text today and if you would follow along with me please while I read God’s word.

26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. 28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”
29 Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. 30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so.
31 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.

As I studied this passage, a few words jumped out at me. In the NIV translation, they are created, rule, and image. These words are a key if we are to understand the meaning of what God was trying to convey to Moses at that time. Let’s start with the word created. In verse 27, the word created is used three times. We know that in the Hebrew language when something is stated three times, it is supposed to be really, really, really important. We were created in the image of God. We resemble a likeness of God. In verse 26 in this passage, the word image is actually stated image and likeness. They mean similar things, however, when this is studied more, we learn that one is meant for spiritual and one is meant for physical. God purposefully created us to be like him. If this is the case then the word rule now needs to be looked at. We are supposed to subdue and dominate over the Earth and everything in it; to rule over it. The word rule means, “1 a: to exert control, direction, or influence on.”

Ok so let’s sort through all of this. Here’s what we know: God has created the Earth and everything in it. He has created us in His image and likeness. We are to rule over the Earth and everything in it. If all of these are true, then we are beings, created to be here in a house that God has created for us and put us in charge to manage and operate. Hmm…that kind of sounds like a steward does it not?

Now that we know for sure that we are called to be stewards, how do we go about it? First, we must take responsibility for how we go about our business in the world. We must be ever aware of our surroundings and our daily habits that may affect the world around us.

Second, we can be more aware of the animal life around us as well. There are animals in the world today that God has created to be here, and yet because of us, they are becoming endangered and extinct. Several factors are included in this. Deforestation, oil spills, expansion of human cities into their homes. We are charged to subdue the Earth and animals, but not destroy. Harmony in life is the key word in this area.

As I say this, I know what you are thinking. How can I make a difference in these areas from my tiny circle of influence? Well, an option may be to support a cause such as the World Wildlife Foundation. Buy lumber from companies that are reputable with helping rebuild homes for displaced animals in addition to their business of tearing down trees. Watch the kind of fuels and plastics you use to reduce our dependence on crude oil based substances. There are many options that we can help with if we really did some investigation.

Well, what about the environment? In the same way, we may start to do the dinner dishes instead of buying disposable plates and silverware. Perhaps when we are in a rush and grab a bite to eat at a fast food restaurant to make sure we properly dispose of our trash instead of throwing it out the window. Maybe we have an older house and updating the windows and doors, heating and air conditioning systems to make it more efficient on power. On that subject maybe turning off lights and unplugging electronics when they are not in use. The main point is not to take on a huge amount all at once, it is to start small and work our way towards changing our habits.

Take this for example. When we go on a diet, are we more likely to succeed when we go for broke and attempt an all out blitz on cutting out foods and boosting up exercise? Or are we more likely to stick with it if we start off slowly and work our way toward increasing our exercise and cutting out certain foods or calories? Obviously, the slow change we undertake will be permanent. It is the same way with our surroundings. A slow change will be permanent rather than an all out blitz.

These days everyone is all talk about “going green” as the tagline says. The funny part is, if we were good stewards of the planet, we would be conscious of our environment anyway.

We do not necessarily have to be perfect “green” households, but if we think about what we do and what impact it will have on the Earth and animals in it, we may end up changing our minds. I am not suggesting that we become hermits and live off the land, but living responsibly with the times is.

Therefore, which options are right for the family and people in our circle? The first step is to make a decision to do something. Once we have made the decision, it is time to have a family meeting and decide what the options we are all most committed to doing. From there, we must set goals for future advancement.

Recycling these used Wal-Mart bags may be an option for your family. Donating clothes and items no longer wanted to Goodwill or the Salvation Army could be an option as well. Every family is different and requires a different approach.

Stewardship. As Christians, we should be committed to doing what God wants of us. Just as Christ submitted in prayer in the Garden to God’s will repeatedly as it says in Matthew 26:39; “39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”” Together, we must submit ourselves continually to God’s will.

Have we committed to being good stewards whole-heartedly? A careful examination would say not as well as we could be. We need to make a decision today to be more mindful of our stewardship responsibilities. We need to recommit ourselves by making and sticking to a plan of action as Christ did for our sins. God set before Him the responsibility of saving us from our sins. He was a good steward and followed through with God’s plan. Will you today be a good steward and commit to following Christ as well?

If you have never made a decision to follow Christ, I urge you now do not let one more Sunday pass before making that decision, because by not making a decision, we are making a decision. Accept the gift of a eternal life from the best example we have of a steward, the Son of God, Jesus Christ.

Maybe today you are here and have been a Christian for a long time. Today may be a day where you feel God tugging to recommit to Him and renew your faith in Him by becoming a good steward of what He has given us. I urge you too, do not let today go by if you feel the need to call out for the Lord.

Let us all be good stewards today and make the commitment to do as He asks of us.

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