Good Stewards - Our Possessions

There are biblical reasons why we are to be good stewards of our resources. The first being, they are not ours but God’s. Psalms 24:1 says, “The earth is the LORD’S, and all it contains,
The world, and those who dwell in it (emphasis added).” Job said it like this, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked I shall return there (Job 1:21a).” He was saying we own nothing. It all belongs to God. We are to take care of it because He has entrusted His property into our care. If we fail to be good stewards, then God will either remove His entrusted property from us or us from it. Whether those resources, be they money, cars, clothes, homes, or talent. We are to use them for His glory not just for our own selfish purposes.

            The Bible tells us that we are to honor God with our money. We are to give Him the firstfruit of our labor. There are two reasons why I believe people don’t tithe. The first reason is that they cannot afford it. They are so deep in debt that they are already behind after they get their paycheck. They do not have enough to cover what they owe plus what they need to live on. The next reason is that people have too much money. They have enough money to pay their bills, pay for medical care, and pay for most contingencies. They have enough money that they see no need for God. They don’t have to trust Him for food. They don’t have to trust Him for bills. They don’t have to trust Him for medical care. They don’t have to worry about what’s going to happen if another bill comes or a paycheck is cut. They’re rainy days are covered.  God is not their insurance—their bank account is.

            Yet, we are all required to honor God with the resources He has blessed us with, both the rich and the poor. If we do this and we trust Him, He will bless us with more. If we do not honor Him with them, what we have will be taken away from us (Matthew 25:14-30). The widow gave two mites (less than a cent) and Jesus said she gave more than the Pharisees who gave a lot (Mark 4:12, Luke 21:3). On the other hand, there was the rich young ruler who refused to honor God with his resources and it cost him everything (Matthew 19:16-26). I encourage you to also read the account of the rich fool in Luke 12:13-21. The moral of the tale is this: possess your possessions or they will possess you.

            The solution to the condition of the rich as well as the poor is to give it all to God. Not just your financial situation but your finances and possessions; give them back to Him. I give you some financial tips in my book, For Such a Time as This: The Darkness Cometh. But here are a few more: 1) Make a budget. 2) Set apart God’s portion first. 3) Pay important bills next. 4) Make arrangements with other creditors. Whatever you do, live within your means. That may mean downsizing your abode, cutting off cable, eating in, or buying non-name brand items. The secret to financial success is to live within your means. In other words, don’t spend more than you have. Our government does and now our country is in hoc to the Chinese, among other nations. Let us not forget to give God His due off the top first. If you honor Him, He’ll remember you. Besides, it is His anyway and He can just take it back whenever He wants.

            What if, you say, you don’t subscribe to the whole ‘God owns everything’ philosophy? The principle still applies to you. It is important that you take care of your things otherwise they won’t last long. How long will a car last if the oil is never changed? How long will a house last if it is not kept up? How long will a yard if it is neglected? Clothes that are not washed will soon be unwearable. They will be stained and eventually get an odor that no detergent can remove. Ask anyone who buys white sneakers about how it is important to clean those shoes every day. If you let a day go by, then a stain can set in and ruin their appeal and appearance.

In these three posts, I’ve tried to encourage us to be good stewards of what we have: our time, our bodies, our resources/possessions. Not only does it honor God, but it benefits us as well. By being good stewards, we can make the best use of our time, keep our bodies in good shape, and make our possessions last longer.