Title: Stewardship / 1 Peter 4:7-11
Content Stewardship / 1 Peter 4:7-11
“As each one has received a gift, serve one another as good stewards of the various graces of God” (1 Peter 4:7-11).
A steward is a person who takes charge of another person's property or possessions and manages them according to the direction of the master. However, even if a steward serves, the result will be different depending on the attitude he takes. What does the Bible say about stewardship?
First, it is a life that acknowledges God's ownership (Matthew 25:14, Mark 12:7). The highest mental attitude of the saints is the spirit that God is the Lord. Everything I own and enjoy now belongs to God. Our lives are also God's. My wealth, time, and talent belong to God. It is only given the right to manage. If we acknowledge God's ownership, we will not be conceited that we have a lot, nor will we fall into a sense of inferiority because we have little.
Second, it is a life that acknowledges God's right to recover (Mt 25:28, Mt 21:41). God, the owner, will take it back whenever you need it. Without asking or discussing with us humans, God takes it according to the will of God, regardless of time, place, and circumstance. When God retrieves it, he does not rebel. Like the righteous Job, God gave and God took away, and he does not sin with his lips.
Third, it is a life that acknowledges God's right to use (Luke 16:1). If God, the owner, uses it, we should naturally give it out as stewards. However, sometimes we are wrong, pretending to be mine and stingy or rejecting it. Don't abuse it because it's not mine, and don't monopolize it.
Fourth, it is a life that acknowledges God's right to give thanks (Matthew 25:10). God has set a date for accounting to check whether management is accurate. Wesley said that he was auditing time, reporting wealth, and reporting talents. If we acknowledge the right to gratitude, we live by making good use of what was given as the last day of consciousness.
We receive all blessings from God. We should thank God for the blessings God has given us, and we should live a life that shows the glory of God as stewards.