Principles of Stewardship

Our Principles of Stewardship encompass eight specific values that you and your family will hopefully discuss; then ask yourselves simply “yes” or “no,” do I(we) believe in each of the principles or not. There is no right or wrong answers - only your answers and you might even answer “maybe” to some of them and that’s okay. By answering: “yes” I believe that statement; or “no” I don’t buy it; or “maybe” I’m just not sure; it will hopefully help you gain an insight into where you are on our own individual faith journey. A scripture passage or two is indicted that lifts up each specific principle.

The first principle is: Disciples of Jesus Christ put God first in their lives. Exodus 20:3 and Matthew 10:37-39. Yes, no, maybe. The Old Testament passage is generally considered a no brainer for people of faith (“you shall put no other god before me”). The New Testament passage (“not mother, father, son or daughter shall come before Jesus”), however, is one in which answering affirmatively is much more difficult. In fact, I think many of us would say “no” I really don’t believe in that theology. These two passages together are saying that God must come first in our lives. We need not concern ourselves with anything else because nothing, not even family, let alone money, power or position should come before God. And if anything does we risk losing the ineffable richness life has to offer through Jesus Christ.

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The second principle is: Money and the things money can buy often stand in the way of our putting God first. Matthew 6:24 and Mark 10:17-27. Do you think Jesus would answer “yes” to principle number two? Jesus talks about money, riches and “our” stuff more than any other subject in the Bible with the exception of the realm of God. There might be a reason. Jesus knows that we must continually ask ourselves which master we prefer to worship day-in and day-out, not just on Sundays.  Jesus asks what are we going to do with all that we have been blessed with by God including our time, talents and especially our financial resources. Jesus knows that if we put our faith in money, people, position and power, as so many of us do, then by the simple process of elimination we cannot be putting our true faith in God.  By putting our faith elsewhere then, like the rich young man in Mark’s gospel, our faces too will ultimately cloud over and we will walk away from Jesus with a heavy heart.

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Our culture tells us that happiness and security comes through the accumulation of wealth and with that said that brings us to Principle of Stewardship number 3 – Money is a spiritual issue. 1 Timothy 6:17-27 and Matthew 6:19-21. Many parishes and congregations don’t want to have anything to do with the topic of money on Sunday; after all we come to church to worship God. We are content to worship God on the first day of the week and money, power and possessions on the other six. Let’s not muddy the waters by reflecting about money on Sunday – no place in church for this most worldly of subjects. Perhaps that’s because all too many of us really do believe that it is money, power and possessions which are our true security. Maybe that’s why we don’t want people talking about it too much in church. It hits just a little to close to home.

Remember, Jesus had a great deal to say on the subject of money, possessions and stuff. Jesus knows that how we relate to money and possessions is critical to our relationship with God.  There is great freedom in being able to see money as a resource generously provided to us by an extravagant God for the sake of the world God loves. Jesus saw our perception of money as one of the greatest indicators of our spirituality. The way we spend our time and utilize or talents are important as well but Jesus spends his time talking about our stuff for a reason. When Jesus and his disciples stood in the Temple and observed what people were placing into the collection box it was duly noted that the widow had given extravagantly from what she could not afford while all the others gave from what they’ll never miss. There is no doubt that all through the gospels Jesus addresses our money and possessions as spiritual concerns of Biblical proportions.

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Not even Jesus would test God in the wilderness but the Old Testament prophet Malachi challenges us to do just that and throughout the Bible the reasons why are lifted up with great thanksgiving. Principle #4 – Proportionate giving is a Biblical principle (10% is the Biblical standard) that indicates a disciple’s willingness to put God first. Malachi 3:10; Principle #5 - There is great joy to be found in giving faithfully. 2 Corinthians 9:6-15. Tithing and great joy, now there is a Biblical oxymoron if there ever was one…until perhaps we take a closer look.

There has been a great deal of conversation for a long time over the term tithing. What exactly does it mean, has it worn out its effectiveness, is it to harsh and unfair a concept and therefore should it become obsolete?  According to Leviticus 27:30 a tithe is a tenth of what we have that is returned to God so that God’s good news can be known in the world. In the book of Numbers the tithe is even more precisely defined as the first tenth of what we have. The concept of tithing is at the center of proportionate giving.  At the other end of that spectrum is the passage (Luke 12:48) which indicates that much is required from those to whom much is given. This passage from Luke pertains to us. It is also true that the amount many of us give goes far beyond the first tenth that we are instructed to pledge to the church when looking at one’s entire range of philanthropy.

Malachi doesn’t mince words when he points out that tithing is not just a suggestion but rather a commandment. But commandments, like the ten we are most familiar with, aren’t meant to throw up roadblocks to living but rather to be roadmaps on how we can live a good and meaningful life. Malachi promises just that and actually implores us to challenge God to bless us greatly if we in fact, tithe, no matter how we chose to define that word. The Bible defines it as ten percent and that figure is a significant portion of one’s income. Giving at that level requires serious and prayerful contemplation with a plan put in place to reach the objective. Dedicating a specific percentage of our resources to the ministry of the church shows a spirit of obedience to God. Making a commitment to tithe honors God and God chooses to bless this commitment. God meets us in our journey to bring our full tithe and as a result blesses us along the way. 

How are we blessed? Paul in his second letter to the church in Corinth sums it up. Paul’s enthusiasm and belief in the great joy that comes from giving can be very contagious if we allow ourselves to get close enough to be infected. Ask yourself does this joyful giving sound like a remedy to the economic problems we’ve been hearing and reading about. It does if we truly believe and trust in our loving, nurturing God who is with us every step of the way through the Bull and Bear markets of life. Let us practice generous giving, have faith and see if God does not open up heaven itself and pour out blessings beyond our wildest dreams.

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Principles six and seven state: Stewardship encompasses all aspects of life. Romans 12:1-2 and Learning to live simpler lives in the midst of a materialistic culture is pleasing to God. 1 Timothy 6:6-10. The common thread in these two principles is they speak directly to our lives. How we live our lives – all of the time.  Stewardship is ultimately not about the money. It is about how we live our lives. Understanding and embracing the theology that having “enough” is a very good thing is the essence of what it means to be a good steward. Our culture hammers us with the notion that we need to possess more and better stuff to be happy and fulfilled. And it makes sense doesn’t it?  The new kitchen, the second car, the wonderful vacation, sending the children to just the right schools, being a member of just the right club, the new clothes, the latest electronic gizmo, a retirement where we don’t have a worry in the world, that’s what we’re told will make us happy, make all our troubles go away. Interestingly, Jesus didn’t really comment “good” or “bad” on any of these types of consumer concerns.

What concerned Jesus is when we place these “necessities” ahead of our first and foremost commitment which is faith in God. When we do this, as Paul wrote to Timothy, we begin to head down a path which we will live to regret bitterly. Keeping our lives simple, getting by with enough (which, by the way is having more than any other people in history) and turning our backs on the temptations of materialism is pleasing to God because by living this way we become Christ’s true ambassadors in the world. By living this way, we place ourselves in a position to give our whole selves to God. Pledging a proportion of our financial resources to the church becomes simply another aspect of that life which lifts up and glorifies God.

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Finally, Principle of Stewardship #8 states that: God is a God of abundance, not scarcity. Give joyfully in every way! Psalm 23. It is difficult for us to grasp this concept because abundance to most of us means that new kitchen and car, the right school and club and that safe retirement package. Our faith is weak when it comes to accepting that by learning to live a more simplistic life and allowing the spirit of generosity to envelope every aspect of life that we are living abundantly. God’s abundance becomes rich and complete when our true joy comes from giving and not receiving.  So let giving generously and joyfully be our watchwords as we move forward in the coming season and for the rest of our lives. It’s not your money God wants it’s you…all of you all the time. 

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