2-4-24 “The Stewardship Mindset”

Click here for Sunday worship material

Genesis 1:26-31

“The Stewardship Mindset”

I want to start with something funny that I found on an internet site: There was a strongman at a circus sideshow who demonstrated his power before large audiences every night. Toward the end of one performance, he squeezed the juice from a lemon between his hands. He said to the onlookers, “I will offer $200 to anyone here who can squeeze another drop from this lemon.”

A thin older lady hobbled up the stage. She picked up the lemon and clamped it between her two frail, boney hands. She squeezed. And out came a teaspoon of lemon juice. The strongman was amazed. He paid the woman $200 but privately asked her, “What is the secret of your strength?” “Practice,” the woman answered. “I have been treasurer of my church for forty-two years!”

We observe February as “Stewardship Month.” We often hesitate to talk about “stewardship,” but the reason we designate February as “Stewardship Month” is to remind ourselves at the beginning of every year that we are God’s people. God calls us to be good stewards of all we are given, such as our bodies, minds, talents, gifts, money, and property. Furthermore, our church and family are also entrusted to us by God. Let us reflect on what we have and how God graciously provides for us. Some may think that it is not appropriate to talk about “stewardship” because we are a smaller congregation. However, the God who was with us during the prosperous days of the church is still with us. We are God’s people, whether rich or poor. The church is the body of Christ, whether it is smaller or larger.

Today, as the first session of the Stewardship Month, I want to talk about the meaning of having a steward/stewardship mindset. The word “Steward” comes from “oikonomos” in Greek, which is a component word, combining “Oikos” (house) and “nemein” (manage). It shares the same root as the word “economy.” The term “steward” refers to an economic manager who takes care of the affairs of the whole house. For these reasons, when we talk or hear about stewardship, money (offering), tithing, or apportionment often comes to mind first.

That being said, we can find a more profound meaning of steward in the biblical context. In the scriptures, “oikonomos” is sometimes translated to “manager” (Luke 16:1-13; Matthew 20:8), steward (Luke 8:3), or slaves/servants (Matthew 25:14-30; Luke 19:13). The common point among these words is that the Master entrusted them with his property, giving them authority to manage it. In other words, the steward is the manager of the property with authority, but is still the Master’s servant.

Therefore, the steward of God is the manager of God’s property. Stewardship is based on our confession that God is the owner of all creation, including ourselves, family, people, and all of creation. Furthermore, since our abilities, opportunities (time), talents, skills, ideas, and gifts are from God, we are stewards of God for all these gifts and skills.

In today’s scripture, we find the original steward’s story. God planned for humans to be His stewards before creating heaven and earth. “Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.” The purpose for which God created humankind was to entrust them with the management of all the creatures. In other words, God created us to care for all things given by Him, including animals, plants, our loved ones, and ourselves.

God created humans and all creation according to His plan, blessed humans, and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it.” God’s stewardship command, “be fruitful, multiply, and fill and subdue” should be applied to all things God has entrusted us with, including all creation, family and the church.

The words “be fruitful, multiply, and fill” may apply for not only “number” and “quantity”, but also to “quality.”  So, we have a task to make things “be fruitful and multiply in quantity and quality” in whatever we are entrusted with, such as family, work, and the church. As God cares for us with His steadfast love, we should care for all things with love. That is stewardship. It includes providing your family good nutrition, giving your children an education, feeding and caring for your companions, and taking care of yourselves physically and spiritually. In other words, the stewardship mindset is inherent to human nature as we are from God.

How will you practice your stewardship this year? Sometimes, there is a misunderstanding about stewardship, thinking that the church forcing you to give more. The stewardship campaign is about practicing being the people of God in everyday life. The stewardship mindset is to love God and our neighbors through actions in our everyday lives, just as God love us.

I want to share a story I read a few years ago, “Conversation with God,” written by Neale Donald Walsch. He wrote the book based on his true story. He was an ordinary person who was happy with his family and worked at a company. However, after breaking his neck in a car accident, he lost his job and became homeless, begging for coins on the street. He suffered every day and complained to God, asking, ‘why was he so unfortunate?’

One day in winter, he saw two children on the street, covered with a blanket. He brought them to his house, turned the heat on, and cooked some food to feed them. He felt happy at home with them, sharing his warm house, abundant food, and caring love. When they left the house, he gave them $20. He realized that he didn’t treat them; they treated him. Through that event, he noticed that he had a warm house, some food, and money, which God still provided him with, but he couldn’t see God’s grace because he complained all the time.

A way of practicing stewardship is to count what we have with gratitude rather than dwell on what we don’t have. The stewardship mindset is a life in which we trust in God, who is the provider. It is to live in hope, joy, peace, gratitude, and promotion even when we have only one loaf of bread. The stewardship mindset is to give God even the last piece of bread with the faith that God provides, as seen in the story of the widow at Zarephath (1 King 17:8-16).

The widow at Zarephath was very poor. One day, Elijah visited her, asking for a piece of bread. She replied, “I have only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. I will make a loaf of bread for myself and my son. After eating them, we are going to die.” Despite her desire situation, Elijah reassured her, saying, “Don’t be afraid. Do as you said, but fist make a small cake of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, then make some yourself and your son.”

What would you do if you were the widow? You might say, “What? I said I have only a handful of flour. How can I make bread for you, myself, and my son? It’s not enough for you.” But, she did it as Elijah said. Can you imagine how she made the bread? She might have made it with lots of tears. She gave Elijah the bread of her tears. Then, there was food every day. Her jar of flour never ran out, and the jug of oil never ran dry. The stewardship mindset is to live day by day, trusting in God. It is by faith God can make things happen that we can’t. Let’s equip our mind, soul, and spirit with stewardship mindset so that we can live it out in everyday life.

Thanks be to God! Amen!