A Good Steward

Something to think about.

A Good Steward


¹⁰ As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace. 1 Peter 4:10

The sermons I've heard concerning stewardship have always involved the proper use of money.  It is almost as if that is the only thing that stewardship applies to, but look at context of this verse.

⁷ The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. ⁸ Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. ⁹ Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. ¹⁰ As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: ¹¹ whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 4:7-11

In this context, a reference to money is not made. It says "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace. We are to use the gifts God has furnished us with as good stewards that God may be glorified.  It says "as good stewards of God's varied grace". Gods varied grace, could this mean that the gifts we were given are varied?

You have to ask what gifts has God given me? What has God endowed you with and how are you a good steward of that gift? Are you a teacher, an administrator, a  leader,  How many varied gifts has God bestowed on you and are you being a good steward of what he has given you.

We invest a lot of time in our businesses in our professions in our passions but what about the gifts God has given you? What effort are you investing in your gifts?  The strange then about your gifts is that your good at them without very much effort. For instance, I have the gift of writing. I don't possess good grammar or spelling skills, but yet it is almost effortless for me to sit and write. I've never had writer's block I feel there are more subjects I can write about than I will ever have time to complete.  But the truth is I have never spent very much time honing that skill. Maybe it is because it is a gift and is easy for me that I have not invested the effort in becoming outstanding at it.  But that confession in itself exposes my lack of stewardship in that area of my life.  Here is the question, if I pay more attention, more time more effort into my writing what are the possible benefits to my life to my wife's life to my children's lives. What benefit would my writing it be to the lives of people I don't know.

If you start to think about your gifts and you become good stewards of your gifts how much more alive would you be? The bible speaks of gifts with an "S" but if you are not a good steward of the obvious gifts Gods given you do you think God will give you another gift?

Stewardship is a wonderful thing not only in the financial realm but in every area of your life. A good steward of life will live an outstanding life. Because it will lead you to that place where you will be glorifying God with the fruits of your stewardship. And God will bestow on your life other gifts which will bring Him glory and you joy.