Stewardship

Beth and I have been taking the membership class at our church. It's a very in-depth class--we have one left. Today's topic was stewardship. A lot of it is review, of course--but review is good. Though I know all I have belongs to God, I seldom live that out completely in my life.

I think the thing that stuck with me most today was that as good stewards we need to not just maintain status quo, but make things better. When Jesus told the parable of the stewards, the master rewarded the two stewards who invested the money their were given so it was returned with more. The one who just buried it so nothing would happen to it was chastised.

I've often taken that to just mean that we need to use our gifts (talents, time, abilities) for God's Kingdom and not neglect them. But today it struck me that I need to be increasing the value of what I'm given as well.

God has given me everything I have. It is His. I am just His steward. Of my possessions, my family, my body, my time, my talents, my faith and the gospel as well. So, use it or lose it. And seek to improve it.