Contact: Abigail Chikwanha
                                                                                                                                          

                                                                                                                                                                                  

WHAT IS STEWARDSHIP?

Stewardship is partnership with God, but it has other faces too. It touches all aspects of life, and challenges us to faithful responsibility with God’s resources. (Mathew 25:14-30,1 Corinthians 4:2)

Stewardship is what you do with what God has given you.

Richard graduated from pharmacy school and began working for a large drugstore chain. He enjoyed working with customers, though counting pills and typing labels soon became boring.

One day the manager summoned him. “You are a good worker,” he said. “I am being transferred to a different store and I recommended you as my replacement”.

Richard accepted the promotion to store manager and continued to work just as faithfully as he had as pharmacist. “One thing I keep uppermost in my mind,” he says; “what would the owners want me to do in this situation?’

Steward/Manager

Each of us has been promoted to manage a ‘store’ for God. It may seem we have started at the bottom, and our work insignificant, but God will bless us if we labour faithfully.

The word ‘steward’ means ‘manager’. Christians define a ‘steward’ as one who recognises that God – the owner of everything- employs men and women as His managers.

God wants us to put Him first, and promises to provide for all our needs. We make His interest ours…He makes our interest His. God knows where our choices will lead, and wants to help us make wise decisions. As we daily depend on him, He makes our "yoke easy" and our "burden light".

God’s Agent

God uses His stewards as His agents. A young widow with two children lost her job and her landlord threatened eviction.

A Christian from another city heard of her distress and came to her aid.

“I don’t know how to thank you, “she said, wiping her eye.

"Don’t thank me, “he smiled. “Thank God. “I am just His agent.”

God may move us from place to place for His work’s benefit- and ours. And no matter who signs our pay cheque, it ultimately comes from God’s treasury.

God takes a risk when He puts us in charge. We often use God’s funds selfishly and we could let our possessions prevent us from doing God’s work.

A young couple received a call to mission service. Accepting the call meant selling their comfortable house, car and furniture- during an economic recession. Without hesitation they sold at a loss of £10,000. During the coming year they lost a further £7,000 to runaway inflation in their country of mission service. When they returned, they found themselves debt free and with a sizeable bank account- in better financial shape in spite of the losses, than they’d ever been. More..