In this regard, it is expected of managers that each one of them be found faithful. 1 Corinthians 4:2 HCSB.
Stuff. Stuff. Stuff. Whether you have too much (which is most of us) or too little, it requires you to be a steward of it. This Spiritual 9 ROUND station will help you get a handle on managing the stuff in your life. Prior links to the 9 ROUNDS – Station 1,2,3 Thankfulness, Scripture Reading, Armor of God. Station 4 – Confession. Station 5 – Forgiveness.
God Owns It ALL
We are called stewards or managers because in reality we are managers for God who owns ALL of our stuff. The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him. Psalm 24:1 NLT. This means that nothing we possess it actually ours, no matter how hard you worked for it or how much you paid for it. We are expected to mangage all of the posessions that we have acquired.
Stuff is never Neutral
When we purchase or acquire something it has a built in expectation of a need to be worshiped. Even though you may have purchased it to serve your needs, it desires to be served. Jesus states that we cannot “serve” both God and money. Our stuff demands our time, our money, our physical strength to keep it running well or maintain a primary position in our lives. Our stuff wraps itself around us like a security blanket entitled MINE. This blanket can easily become more suffocating rather than a purpose for warmth. We will either serve our stuff or we will make it serve us.
Stewarding Our Stuff
First, Rule your stuff and don’t let it rule you. Easier said than done. One way to know if your stuff is ruling you is to take out your daily schedule book. Write down all of your daily activities. Where did you spend your time? How much of your time interacted with the stuff you own? Watching TV, using things for your hobbies, moving stuff around to keep organized, purchasing items to keep other stuff working well are all possible examples of the demands that stuff places upon us. Ultimately, our stuff should be there to help us serve others and communicate God’s love. If it distracts us from that mission in which we only have a short time to accomplish, it is porbably ruling us.
Second, Become a Cheerful Giver. Giving breaks the demand that our stuff possesses over our lives. God loves a “cheerful giver”. Ask the Lord to open your eyes to the needs of others that could benefit from the excess you have. Make a good list of what you own, if you have multiples of some items, find a place to give it away. Most of us already have everything we need, so, if you buy something new, give an item away. Resist the urge to keep accumulating more. Give something away. There is nothing wrong it selling your stuff, but giving it away rearranges the “mine” issues in your heart. More stuff in your life, and the stress is on “more”, robs you of your time because you have to use time to take care of the stuff. Give it away to free up time.
Finally, God Expects Good Stewardship. In the parable of the talents, Jesus explains clearly that God expects that we will manage the talents (both money and personality traits) that He has given us in a productive way. There is a strong judgment regarding shirking away from the responsibility to manage well. The expectation to manage well is true for everyone of God’s children…not just the pastors and missionaries.
At this point in the Stewardship Spiritual 9 ROUND you should be able to answer a series of questions.
- Is there anything I own that is demanding too much of my time or money?
- When was the last time I gave away something I possess?
- How might I be holding onto to “time” as my own and not be willing to share it?
- Do I regularly give “my” money to the church and others in need?
- Do I consider myself to be a cheerful giver? What action reveals that attitude?
- Do I need to get someone else to help my break free of the bondage of hoarding?
Stewardship reflection station should be visited weekly. Just look at your investments in time and money to determine if your stuff is calling you to serve or worship it. Then ask the Lord to help you make your stuff serve you to love others.
Blessings Love y’all