BIBLICAL STEWARDSHIP

Stewards manage someone else’s property or affairs. They do not own or possess what is entrusted to them. This is precisely the position we occupy in relation to God. When he created us in his image, he entrusted us with the responsibility, authority and capacity to act on his behalf as his stewards in this world.

Stewardship thus involves stewardship of creation (Gen 1:26; 2:15) and of our finances, talents and time. We are also called to be good stewards in our homes (1 Tim 3:4-5) and churches (Heb 13:17), as well as stewards of the gospel (2 Tim 2:2). Stewardship is allembracing and applies to how we treat everything and everyone. It involves caring, sharing and giving by tithing, planned giving to the poor, using our skills, talents and gifts in service to God and others, and respecting the identity, dignity and rights of others.

Jesus talks about stewardship in the parables of the talents (Mt. 25:14-30) and of the minas (Luke 19:11-27). These parables make the following points:

• Resources: Some of the resources God entrusts to his stewards are distributed equally (for example, time) while others are given in different proportions (for example, wealth).

• Productivity: The resources with which we have been entrusted should be deployed effectively to generate fruit, which may double what we were given or multiply it ten times over.

• Integrity: Stewards are to be truthful, faithful and transparent and must not misuse the resources entrusted to them for selfish ends (1 Cor 4:2).

• Accountability: Stewards must be ready at all times to give an account of what they have done with the resources entrusted to them (Rom 14:12). They have to be able to report this not only to their master but also to others (2 Cor 8:21).

• Reward or punishment: Great reward awaits faithful stewards. They will be entrusted with more resources both now and for eternity. Severe punishment is in store for the lazy, the unfaithful and those who make excuses. The Israelites were exiled when they broke God’s covenant with them and acted as owners rather than stewards of the land God gave them (Lev 25:23; 2 Chr 36:11-21).

Stewardship does not come easily to any of us. We tend to be like Cain and deny our responsibilities (Gen 4:9) and also like the rich man who imagined that he was in control of his life and possessions (Luke 12:16-21). We must understand that what we are and have is entrusted to us by God.

Most religions encourage stewardship and talk about integrity, accountability and transparency, but in South Asia these values are widely ignored. As a result, the region is plagued with corruption.

Billionaires co-exist with the poorest of the poor. Although God entrusts resources in differing proportions, when these are used for selfish purposes it causes injustices, corruption and abuse, thus

incurring God’s wrath. Extreme poverty results from failed stewardship, when a few control all resources, leading to disparities in the distribution of wealth and income. Our failed stewardship of God’s creation has also had devastating effects that result in global climate change, drought and extreme weather.