With Great Blessing Comes Great Responsibility

stew·ard·ship - /ˈsto͞oərdˌSHip/

• noun. the job of supervising or taking care of something, such as an organization or property.

When I was a kid, I was a HUGE Spiderman fan. The idea of a superhero that could scale walls, lift up cars, and make webs come out of his wrists was the stuff of legend. It also didn’t hurt that he was a kid! This wasn’t an adult doing all of this crazy stuff.  It was a TEENAGER!!! How awesome is that!?!? Peter Parker was a kid trying to learn how to protect his neighborhood and become a responsible adult while still having to make sure he got his homework done. Because of this, he was always seeking the wisdom of his uncle Ben, and it was always Uncle Ben’s words that have been a staple of the Spiderman mythos for years. “With great power comes great responsibility.” He knew it wasn’t the power itself that would be the struggle for Peter. It was how he would use it. Would it be all about himself, or would he use his power to help others?

The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: 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. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
1 Peter 4:7–11

Whenever we hear the word “stewardship” in the Church, we immediately go to financial giving. That’s a form of stewardship, but it’s so much bigger than just money. It’s time, resources, gifting, and money. How has God richly blessed you? How can you use that to bless Him and serve others?

In verse 7 above, we read that we need to be self-controlled and sober-minded. Why would this be so important? Quite simply, emotion is a great follower, but it’s a horrible leader. Emotion in and of itself isn’t wrong at all. The issues come when our emotion becomes our driving force in everything we do. Have you, or are you, an emotional spender? If you are, you’re probably finding yourself struggling at times with your finances. Are you that emotional type that lashes out at people when you get upset? You probably find it hard to get people to want to help you out of fear of getting yelled at. Do your emotions shut you down sometimes? There are probably people who can’t trust you to do what you’ll say because you’ve backed out of too many things due to an emotional outbreak. In order to serve others, we need to keep our emotions in check and be focused on things above. 

Peter then says, “Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.” True stewardship comes from place of love. Why would we give of ourselves if we didn’t love what we were giving to? If you looked into a mirror right now, could you say that you love your community of believers? If not, stewardship is going to be hard. If it’s a yes, you’re probably going to love it. Love is central to the Gospel of Jesus, and it’s love that should drive everything we do; not just a love for others, but a deep love for Christ. With that in place, we will serve others “without grumbling” like Peter talks about in verse 9. Why would we ever grumble about giving of ourselves when we know that everything we have and everything we are is from God? Our gratitude should show itself in giving of ourselves.

Next, we see Peter say, “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace”. Not all of us have the same gifts. Not everyone can stand in front of a crowd and preach or sing. Is everyone a good cook? No. I can promise you that. Can everyone be a handyman? No. Is everyone able to give large amounts of money to help others? No. However, we all have gifts, and we have a purpose for those. We are to serve one another. The Church should be filled with producers, not consumers. If all we do is come to be served in the Church, we will find Christianity to be empty, without any substance. Even Christ didn’t come to the Earth to be served.

“But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Matthew 20:26–28

Peter finishes up this section by saying, “…whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ.” We really have one singular goal on this earth; glorify God in everything we do. It’s really that simple. So we need to decide, “How do I take what God has given me and glorify Him?” Is it through my gifting? Is it through my finances? Is it through my time? What has God given you that is unique to you? There may be a reason why you have that gift. Don’t keep it to yourself. The early Church is the perfect example of what stewardship really looks like.

And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
Acts 2:44–47

If you want to see the Church at it’s best, be a good steward of what you have. When we genuinely love God and God’s people, it becomes the genuine outpouring of the soul. Love God. Love others. Change the world.