To Be A Good Steward Of My Money

Being a Good Financial Steward: A Lesson from the Parable of Talents

April 4, 2017  by SchiffGold  0   2

This article was submitted by Joel Bauman, SchiffGold Precious Metals Specialist. Any views expressed are his own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Peter Schiff or SchiffGold.

the tale of the Good Samaritan or the Unfruitful Fig Tree, the Parable of Talents is one Christ’s teachings to his disciples to instruct them of God’s will for Man’s life.

Traditional Christian interpretation of the “Parable of Talents” sees it as a didactic and cautionary tale told by Christ to his disciples illustrating the importance of taking risks for the sake of the Kingdom of God.

Christ warns his followers to use their personal gifts or “talents” to further God’s work. Failure to do so appropriately would result in severe judgment.

Others interpret the tale as illustrating good investment advice. As such, the “Parable of Talents” is still applicable today with respect to being a good financial steward of your wealth. Even though many biblical scholars interpret the parable as being applicable to both money and human talent, this article will focus exclusively on the stewardship of money.

The Story

While I’ve included the actual verses from Mathew Chapter 25 in my analysis below, I’ve also included a synopsis:

A master leaves his house to travel abroad for an extended period of time. Just before leaving, he gives his three servants different amounts of precious metals (i.e. money) or “talents” to oversee. He gives each servant according to his ability: one servant receives five talents, the second receives two, and the third receives only one talent, for a total of eight talents.

After returning, the master then asks each servant for an account of their stewardship of his property. The first and second servants report they put their talents to work, doubling the value of the master’s property.

In short, the third servant was a bad steward of his master’s property.

Lessons from the Parable of Talents

The following verses are taken from the Book of Matthew, chapter 25, verse 14- 27. I’ve included my analysis on what the parable teaches about being a good steward of one’s “talents” or wealth.

14 For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. 

15 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.

16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. 

17 And wise he that had received two, he also gained other two. 

18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money.

19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.

20 And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.

22 He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. 

23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. 

24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:

25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.

26 His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: 

27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.

Good and Bad Biblical Stewards

The passage above illustrates the characteristics of both good and bad stewards:

Good stewards – Those who increase their given talents by increasing their value, both in the literal, monetary sense and in terms of our gifts and abilities.

Bad stewards – Those who fail to grow a given talent or talents, especially fear and mistrust.

Anyone who believes in capitalism or seeks to do God’s will agrees that the profitable use of our talents is good. Additionally, most would also agree a failure to use such talents is poor stewardship.

The first two servants were good stewards, as they traded with the money given to them and produced a 100% return. See verses 16 and 17 below.

16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.

17 And wise he that had received two, he also gained other two.

18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money.

The master, displeased with this sluggish act, told the final servant he should have at least earned interest (i.e. “usury”) on the money.

27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.

The English Standard Version Bible translation reads this verse as, “27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest.”

Financial Stewardship Today

It’s hard not to laugh at verse 27 in light of our current monetary banking policy. Bank interest rates have not compensated for the consequences of inflation.

In fact, those who “bury” their dollars in the bank are losing wealth because of the depreciating purchasing power of the dollar.

the third servant in the parable, it was better for him to dig and hide his gold in the ground than to deposit his US dollars in the bank!

US bank savings account (average interest rate offered 5.5% since 1960)

$1,000.00 held in a bank savings account since 1960 would be worth approximately $20,000.00 in 2016.

Gold (average nominal return of 6.35% since 1960)

$1,000.00 held in gold since 1960 would be worth approx. $31,500.00 in 2016.

Gold and silver are not adversely affected by the consequences of inflation. Both monetary metals have successfully preserved the fruit of humanity’s labor for thousands of years.

While precious metals beat inflation, they are not productive independent of action. One talent of gold stored in 1960 is still only one talent of gold in 2016. The nominal value is higher but the weight is the same. The parable implies, and many capitalists would agree, if you want to be a good steward, you must find a yield for their gold and silver “talents”.

Finding a Yield on Our Talents

Many find a return on their financial wealth through traditional means. This includes investing in equities, bonds, income-producing properties, and personal businesses.

Dow Jones Industrial Average (average return of 6.39%* since 1960)

$1,000.00 held in the DJIA since 1960 would be worth approx. $32,000.00 in 2016

*Average does not include the dividends paid out to shareholders during the 56 years from 1960 to 2016, so the yield was higher than 6.39%.

Investors who hold their wealth in stocks and other investment vehicles should receive a higher return than simply holding gold because they are taking on a higher degree of risk.

There are many risk-off investors, myself, who acknowledge the current dangers of a debt saturated global economy.

I do not find many traditional investments the Dow Jones Industrial Average as an attractive means of generating a return. Additionally, I am even more concerned with the counter party risk of holding stocks with an equity broker.

For those who aren’t too familiar with financial counter party risk, I recommend reading the story of MF Global.

I believe now more than ever investors should avoid tertiary wealth. Focus on generating a yield from primary wealth and secondary wealth.

Clients ask me, “Is there a way I can earn a yield on my precious metals?” This a good question, and something I will answer in my next article, Generating Yield with Precious Metals.

Conclusion

I believe there is a great lesson to be learned from the Parable of Talents. It’s easy to become discouraged or fearful of the economic state of the world. I want to encourage readers to not retreat from being productive. Practice good stewardship by investing all your talents wisely. By doing this you will benefit not only yourself but also those around you.

Get Peter Schiffís latest gold market analysis ñ click here for a free subscription to his exclusive monthly Gold Videocast. Interested in learning more about physical gold and silver?

Call 1-888-GOLD-160 and speak with a Precious Metals Specialist today!

Источник: //schiffgold.com/commentaries/good-financial-steward-lesson-parable-talents/

How to Manage Your Money | Denise Duffield-Thomas

Hey gorgeous, let’s talk about something really real today, because I’m seeing this a lot in our industry.

Making money is one thing, but how do you actually take care of it, so you can manifest more? I’ve seen a ton of women over the last year really sabotage themselves, fall into really unhealthy habits, and have to quit their businesses altogether, which is tragic. But that doesn’t have to be you.

It really can be simple to become a better steward of your money, so the universe can send you more. So let’s get into it.

Listen below or download here.

//traffic.libsyn.com/luckybitch/How_to_Manage_your_money.mp3

Hire a professional

The first thing I want you to do is to hire people to help you with money. While you might be use to hiring people in your business so far, but you might be neglecting the money side. This is when you need to hire your first bookkeeper, upgrade your accountant, or find somebody to actually help you grow your wealth.

When it comes to things the bookkeeping, you might think “No, I really should do this myself.” I heard this a lot. The truth is, you really do not need to do it yourself if this is not something that is in your zone of genius.

When I started my business I remember thinking “Oh my God, a bookkeeper seems so grownup and fancy.” I just had receipts everywhere, it was a total mess.

She was “Okay,,,” I’m sure she hears this all the time. Of course, months went by and I did nothing, nothing. And so finally I called her and said “Can I just send you all these receipts?” She’s “Of course, it would be Christmas.” And I’m “Really? That sounds horrible.” And she’s “No, this is what I do.”

This was a real turning point in my business, because up until then I was trying to do something I wasn’t good at, and really beating myself up over it. But I was being a crap steward of my money, and having something a bookkeeper is a very symbolic way to show the universe that you are going to take care of your money.

It really made me feel I went pro as a business owner. Plus, it can also help you really avoid problems down the track with your taxes as well, if you’re just totally on it from the start.

Simple money systems

The second thing I want to share is having very simple money systems, whatever that is for you. I actually love the process of tracking my money every day, I look at my PayPal account, I look at my business bank account every single day. Not only to see what’s going on expense wise but also to remind me that I’m in business to make money.

I actually write down the balance of my PayPal account every single day, because I remember in those first couple of years writing down a zero on my spreadsheet, it really motivated me to go up and chase those clients, or to send those invoices, and to really focus on income producing activities, and not all the procrastination stuff that comes up in business.

These systems do not have to be super fancy. I’ve seen a lot of women get into trouble because they actually don’t know what’s coming in, and they don’t know what’s going out. So just make sure you look at that stuff, because again it’s very, very symbolic.

Identify your money blocks

The third and probably the biggest thing that made a difference for me, and was a huge turning point in my business, is that I worked on my money blocks. I was spending a ton of money on things courses and events that actually weren’t giving me the mindset boost that I needed.

And really, without that you can derail yourself so hard core. I had a fundamental belief that money was really hard to get, that I had to work really hard to make money, and that stuff was going to sabotage me, no matter how many amazing strategies I’d seen.

I’ve seen this so much recently with entrepreneurs, that they can actually make the money, but they can’t keep it, because they don’t realize they have these underlying sabotaging patterns around money.

Money itself will not cure the money blocks, it actually amplifies them.

That’s why, when you see rich and famous people totally screw over their money situation, it’s because they haven’t dealt with that underlying stuff. When you know your particular money block to look out for, you won’t do those things overspending, or blocking money from coming to you in the first place, or sabotaging it when things get good.

And guess what?

That is an ongoing process, but one that will absolutely change your life for the better. When you know your money block, and I know mine, it’s that you have to work really hard to make money, you then get to know the warning signs. So you will not be one of the casualties of this crazy time in business. You’ll be one of the ones that will pull through.

Having that awesome money mindset will help you then find the team that will help you manage your wealth and do those simple systems that will help you keep the money.

But you might be wondering “Okay, I believe that, but how do you identify your money block in the first place?”

Well, that’s where I can help you. I have a ton of resources on this, and I have helped over 100,000 women with this already. So I’m a real expert in helping you figure out what your money block is.

Trust me, I’ve seen it all.

Once you know your block, you can clear it.

Then the next time it comes up, you’ll be able to recognize it, you’ll be able to have those healthy habits without sabotage. And then you can really have that freedom to create the first class life and business that you’ve been wanting to.

All right gorgeous, take a listen to that, and it’s your time, and you’re ready for the next step.

xx,

Источник: //luckybitch.com/manage-your-money/

#071: Be a Good Steward with What You Already Have

Share on Tweet on Share on Linkedin

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | Email | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | TuneIn | Spotify | RSS

We have seen less importance placed on becoming a good steward, and more importance placed on what we can gain. I would also say that we have seen a negative shift in the way people view responsibility.

Let me be the first to tell you that things won’t happen the way you want them to until you take some responsibility.

You have to take responsibility for your actions, the decisions that have gotten you to where you are today, and for moving ahead.

The Story of Brandon

One of the best examples I have ever seen of someone who knew how to be a good steward with their lives was my boss at my first job, Brandon. He is still to this day the best manager I have ever known.

Brandon knew how to coach others to become better, how to get great results, and he was also very personable with everyone.

Because of this, Brandon was able to build trust and relationships with both the team and with customers.

Looking from the outside, it didn’t seem he should be this far along in life.

He was young, he really hadn’t been in management for a long time, and he was attending grad school full-time while working full-time to pay for all of his schooling.

But, even with being stretched in every direction, he understood the importance of doing well with what he already had. He didn’t let busyness deter him from pouring into the lives of others.

I knew he had something that I wasn’t able to grasp yet, but now I understand. He was being a good steward. He knew that he didn’t have to go out and gather a bunch of different attributes first, but he was already enough.

Even though Brandon was in a waiting season himself, he knew what it meant to be a good steward with what he already had.

Being A Good Steward With the Present Moment

Brandon displayed what it meant to do well with what someone already has, but what about the trend of obtaining more, more, more? The want of something more isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but when it becomes your sole purpose, it becomes your wrong motive.

When having more is always your focus, you miss out on each daily opportunity to use the talents and passions you already have in your possession to lead in the lives of others right now. When your focus is on the present moment, you will be able to give more to those around you. In doing this, you will have more influence.

If I am using John Maxwell’s definition of leadership, being influence, nothing more nothing less, then this is where we need to focus.

When you understand the need that people have for you and you know what needs to be done, it then becomes your responsibility to be a good steward and give life all that you already have. When you learn to be a good steward, you learn the importance of treasuring what you already have in your possession. When you learn how to be a good steward, growth always comes.

The Waiting Season

When things are going great, you probably don’t feel a huge need to focus on being a good steward, because things couldn’t be better. But, let me challenge you to not lose focus on what is at hand, so you can continue to grow.

Being a good steward not only maintains greatness in life, but stewarding well is what grows people into becoming something better. Maybe you currently find yourself in the midst of waiting and are wondering if the next door will ever open again.

Maybe you are making plans and are getting ready to put the work in. Or, maybe you are submerged in the trenches of your work right now, wondering when this pace will ever let up.

If you are currently in a waiting season or have been there at some point in life, you know just how difficult this season is if you allow it to be. But, understand that waiting doesn’t have to be as difficult as most people make it out to be.

Waiting will try to keep you to yourself and will try to settle you into contentment, but at some point you have to move your comfort zone and dare to make a change. At some point you will have to go and do.

You can use the waiting season as a time to step out and go do something different.

There is no better time to plan your life out and all the intricacies of it than in the waiting season. Once you do this, you can start moving through this season and get to the next. Time is too precious to waste. You can use time to impact others in huge ways, especially in the waiting season.

Dreams Paired With Planning

The dreams that you have are what inspires people. People find inspiration in what you are pursuing with your life, but your dreams still need a plan to make them happen. Dreams excel when they are put into a plan.

Your plan is simply a means to achieve your dreams, but every inspiration starts with a huge dream burning inside of you. You can be a good steward by taking responsibility now.

Live your story, tell it, learn from it, and plan it out.

Within the practice of planning out your dreams, you get to see what you care about. You should pencil each and every detail out, even the gifts you want to bring others are important to identify. Planning is just another way to be a good steward with your life. Your plan should impact the lives of others, because it will always be people that matter.

Hard Work

But, even after constructing a plan, remember that only having a plan is never enough. At some point you will have to put in hard work. At some point you need to come to the realization that forward movement is the only thing that makes great things happen. When you are a good steward and put hard work into the right things, you will find success, because hard work always pays off.

I know the sexy solution is to say that you can use mind over matter and just think these things into existence, but the truth is that putting hard work into the right things always wins.

The truth of the matter is people want to skip this step because again, people want to write off responsibility and take the easy way out.

Excuses

But, when you realize the importance that hard work has in making things happen, making excuses seems a really dumb thing to do. I used to dream of the day that things would become easier, but that day never came and it doesn’t look it will show up anytime soon.

I used to make excuses as to why I couldn’t be there for others due to a lack of time, but I hadn’t yet discovered the power of being a good steward with my life.

The fact is that there are still people I come in contact with every second of the day who need me, and I still have the same responsibility to be a good steward that I’ve always had.

Yes, I am now busier with my family, I have more commitments, and I work more than I ever have before, but the difference is that I have stopped making excuses as to why I can’t make the time for people. When others aren’t our top priority, all of this is in vain. All of this work we put into Leadership In Life doesn’t matter when people don’t matter. This idea is that serious.

Being a good steward with my life didn’t just happen somehow, though. There came a time in my life where I had to declare that no matter what amount of time I was given, I would use it to the best of my abilities to impact the lives of other people. I had to make the decision to be a good steward with my time, and you can make the same decision right now.

Are You Doing Well With What You Already Have?

In most cases, results will speak for themselves. If you are a business owner or an employee at a business, then you know that looking at your profit and loss statements will show if you have been a good steward with your resources.

If you are working on a project for the business you work at, then you know that the time you put into your project will show itself by displaying just how prepared you really are when it comes time to present.

When you are a good steward with your financial resources, you know that it will show both in your expenditures and your savings.

This concept of being a good steward is something that is hardly ever discussed in the world of wanting more.

When is the last time you really thought about being responsible for taking care of what you already have and growing it into something better? When something is given to you and huge, new opportunities come into your life, take the responsibility to be a good steward with them. Once you do well with what you have now, more will come to you. That’s a principle that has always worked, and one that will remain true until the end of time.

Sometimes it may seem easier to give something away, delegate it, or even forget about it, rather than being a good steward with it. The thing is that we usually have the seed already in our hands, but we may not have the ultimate solution in our possession yet.

If you can imagine planting a seed and taking care of it until it grows into a full plant or tree, this is what being a good steward looks .

 When you live life well, you can know that what you already have in the ground will eventually grow to be a beautiful life-giving plant.

You can give away everything you have within yourself to others right now, so you know how to be an even better steward with bigger opportunities in the future. It’s a great time to practice being a good steward, today. 

Share on Tweet on Share on Linkedin

Источник: //asmithblog.com/good-steward/

Bible Verses About Stewardship That Will Challenge You!

One of my favorite Bible verses about stewardship is: And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. ~ 2 Corinthians 9:8

Since the beginning of time, God has been laying out the guidelines of good stewardship, when He gave man dominion over the whole earth.

All that was created was for man to use as resources to create, build, and invest in all for the glory and praise of our Creator. Sometimes we feel that what we’ve worked for and earned is ours, and that’s final.

In reality, that which we grow, produce, and make is only allocated to us as payment on a temporary basis. It is ultimately His and should be used for His purposes.

Being a good steward is an important Christian principal and does not just refer to money. It is a steward’s responsibility to manage or take care of something. It is not theirs, but they are in charge of handling it well. Since God is the owner of everything, we are the stewards who have been charged with managing everything he has placed in our care.

Bible verses about stewardship admonish us to be in control of our time, honor our relationships, be in integrity during our business dealings, and our value our personal finances as an act of worship.

Living out what these Bible verses about stewardship on a daily basis takes planning, preparation, and patience, but once implemented, this discipline and good work is an amazing reflection of our faith.

May these Bible verses about stewardship help you in your life daily, giving you a guideline of how to manage all that you have been given. May God bless you abundantly!

Old Testament Bible Verses About Stewardship

Then the LORD God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it.

~ Genesis 2:15

You shall not steal.

~ Exodus 20:15

He who tends the fig tree will eat its fruit, and he who cares for his master will be honored.

~ Proverbs 27:18

Otherwise, you may say in your heart, “My power and the strength of my hand made me this wealth.” But you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.

~ Deuteronomy 8:17-18

Poor is he who works with a negligent hand, But the hand of the diligent makes rich.

~ Proverbs 10:4

Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before obscure men.

~ Proverbs 22:29

‘You shall have just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin; I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from the land of Egypt.

~ Leviticus 19:36

“You shall not have in your bag differing weights, a large and a small.”

~ Deuteronomy 25:13

Moreover, they did not require an accounting from the men into whose hand they gave the money to pay to those who did the work, for they dealt faithfully.

~ 2 Kings 12:15

‘You shall do no wrong in judgment, in measurement of weight, or capacity.’

~ Leviticus 19:35

A false balance is an abomination to the LORD, but a just weight is His delight.

~ Proverbs 11:1

Go to the ant, O sluggard, observe her ways and be wise. Which, having no chief, officer, or ruler, prepares her food in the summer and gathers her provision in the harvest.

~ Proverbs 6:6-8

~ Proverbs 10:5

He who tills his land will have plenty of bread, but he who pursues worthless things lacks sense.

~ Proverbs 12:11

Wealth obtained by fraud dwindles, but the one who gathers by labor increases it.

~ Proverbs 13:11

The integrity of the upright will guide them, but the crookedness of the treacherous will destroy them.

~ Proverbs 11:3

Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity than he who is perverse in speech and is a fool.

~ Proverbs 19:1

…You impose heavy rent on the poor and exact a tribute of grain from them…you have built houses of well-hewn stone, yet you will not live in them; you have planted pleasant vineyards, yet you will not drink their wine.

~ Amos 5:11

Better is a little with righteousness than great income with injustice.

~ Proverbs 16:8

The acquisition of treasures by a lying tongue Is a fleeting vapor, the pursuit of death.

~ Proverbs 21:6

As a partridge that hatches eggs which it has not laid, so is he who makes a fortune, but unjustly. In the midst of his days it will forsake him, and in the end he will be a fool.

~ Jeremiah 17:11

You shall give him his wages on his day before the sun sets, for he is poor and sets his heart on it; so that he will not cry against you to the LORD and it become sin in you.

~ Deuteronomy 24:15

Master the Art of Using Essential Oils at Home! To help you reach your health goals with essential oils, please be sure to take the time to learn the fundamentals of aromatherapy. To help you do this, we have created a 10-Part Video Masterclass that we want to give you an opportunity to watch for FREE. This is our gift to you for being part of our Natural Living Family All you need to do is reserve your spot by clicking HERE. We'll see you there!

New Testament Bible Verses About Good Stewardship

Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”

~ Matthew 19:21

Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.

So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.

~ Matthew 6:1-4

Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure–pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.

~ Luke 6:38

From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.

~ Luke 12:48

In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

~ Luke 20:35

So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God.

~ Romans 14:12

For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a high standing and great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

~ 1 Timothy 3:13

Let a man regard us in this manner, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. In this case, moreover, it is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy.

~ 1 Corinthians 4:1-2

For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have a stewardship entrusted to me.

~ 1 Corinthians 9:17

Guard what has been entrusted to you, avoiding worldly and empty chatter and the opposing arguments of what is falsely called “knowledge.”

~ 1 Timothy 6:20

~ 2 Timothy 1:14

Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless, and blameless.

~ 2 Peter 3:14

Which of these Bible Verses About Stewardship do you resonate most with?
Are there some Bible Verses About Stewardship that you didn’t see that you’d to add to this list?

Bible Health is Your Birthright in Christ! To enjoy the abundant (healthy) life that Christ promises us in John 10:10, we have found that living a life free of harmful chemicals is crucial for physical, mental, emotional and especially spiritual wellbeing. However, most people don't where to start. So, to help you on your journey, we have created a 5-Part Video Home Tour that shows you exactly how we have detoxed our home (and life!). As part of our Natural Living Family, we want to give you an opportunity to watch it for FREE! All you need to do is reserve your spot by clicking HERE. We'll see you there!

Источник: //naturallivingfamily.com/bible-verses-about-stewardship/

Stewardship in the Bible

Stewardship is something that I hear a lot of talk about, but not a lot of understanding. I truly believe that understanding what stewardship is and how it applies to our lives will change the way we make decisions each day.

If we really understand what it means to be good stewards, we will begin to not only see our lives change, but also the world around us. all other Biblical principles, tremendous benefit is gained by following them.

Bible Verses about Stewardship

There are many Bible verses on money, including a few key stewardship verses (financial and otherwise) that are worth highlighting. If you know any other scriptures on stewardship please share them in the comments below!

Genesis 2:15
Then the Lord God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it.

Deuteronomy 10:14
Behold, to the Lord your God belong heaven and the highest heavens, the earth and all that is in it.

1 Chronicles 29:11
Yours, o Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and the earth; Yours is the dominion, o Lord, and You exalt Yourself as head over all.

Psalm 50:10-12
For every beast of the forest is Mine, the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird of the mountains, and everything that moves in the field is Mine. If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is Mine, and all it contains.

Matthew 25:14-30 (the Parable of the Talents)
For it is just a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them. “To one he gave five talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and he went on his journey.

Immediately the one who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and gained five more talents. In the same manner the one who had received the two talents gained two more. But he who received the one talent went away, and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. “Now after a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them.

The one who had received the five talents came up and brought five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you entrusted five talents to me. See, I have gained five more talents.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave you were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.

’ Also the one who had received the two talents came up and said, ‘Master, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have gained two more talents.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.

’ And the one also who had received the one talent came up and said, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you scattered no seed. ‘And I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.

’ But his master answered and said to him, ‘You wicked, lazy slave, you knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I scattered no seed. ‘Then you ought to have put my money in the bank, and on my arrival I would have received my money back with interest. ‘Therefore take away the talent from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents.

’ For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away. Throw out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Luke 12:42-44
And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and sensible steward, whom his master will put in charge of his servants, to give them their rations at the proper time? “Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes. “Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions.

Luke 12:47-48
And that slave who knew his master’s will and did not get ready or act in accord with his will, will receive many lashes, but the one who did not know it, and committed deeds worthy of a flogging, will receive but few. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.

Luke 16:9-11
And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by means of the wealth of unrighteousness, so that when it fails, they will receive you into the eternal dwellings.

“He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much.

Therefore if you have not been faithful in the use of unrighteous wealth, who will entrust the true riches to you?

The definition of Christian stewardship

Lets look at the actual definition of stewardship.

Stewardship:

1: the office, duties, and obligations of a steward

2: the conducting, supervising, or managing of something ; especially : the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one’s care

I how it says “managing of something.” To me this implies that we have decisions to make and are responsible for that which we are stewards over. Just a manager of business is responsible for his/her department and employees, so we are with all that has been entrusted to us.

So what are we actually stewards over?

Personally, I believe it applies to everything we have been given. Our time, our money, our God given gifts and abilities, our influence, it all comes from God. There are lots of stewardship verses that show us how we should act, but my favorite is the Parable of the Talents since it gives such a great illustration of what a good steward does.

Put simply, the good stewards were the ones who took “risks” and action in order to multiply what they had been given. The bad steward was the one who fear decided not to take a risk and was called lazy as well.

This reminds me of another scripture…

Luke 12:48

…From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.

How should “stewardship living” affect our lives?

Our finances tend to be the key area that people refer to when speaking of stewardship. I think the main reason is that often money is one of the most difficult things for people to give. At least for me that used to be the case. I was okay giving my energy, time, or sharing my abilities, but money was not something that I was interested in giving away. That is probably why God had to work on me for so long to help me lose my attitude!

Источник: //christianpf.com/stewardship/