Stewardship is a topic many don't like to talk about. They hear "stewardship" and think of tithing and giving extra money. They think only of financial stewardship.
That is one part of it, but as a whole stewardship is taking care of and making good use of all that God as blessed you with.
That means your home, your car, your community, your family, your body, your time, the planet. Everything.
How you treat each aspect shows God your appreciation for what He has given you!
Just as important as taking care of each of these things is the heart. The heart may be even more important than what you do. Your heart is why you do it!
Do you help someone out of guilt or out of love?
Do you save (and serve) leftover food to save money or to not waste what so many aren't lucky enough to have?
This lesson plays out in our house a lot. My children are good helpers, they want to get checks on their stewardship chart and "win" because they have the most checks. 75% of the time, their little hearts miss the mark.
Last week I had a chance to explain it better to my oldest.
Cheyenne excitedly came running in to the kitchen and declared that she had not only made her bed, but everyone elses too.
We all went to look. She beamed with pride at her hard work. It was some of the best bed making she's ever done and I told her how proud I was of her and how sweet it was of her.
Alex, my perfectionist, looked around "but mom, she..." (I used the mommy face that says shut your mouth or you'll be grounded until you're twenty!)
When I was alone with Alex I asked what she was going to say. "She did it wrong mom. The blankets are bunchy and the pillows aren't straight and the animals are not tucked in."
Our conversation boiled down to one point. Cheyenne may not have done it the way each person liked, but she willing, lovingly and eagerly helped and was happy to do it. She helped with a glad heart.
It was an act of love.
That's what stewardship boils down to. Love. Love for the Lord who blesses us each more than we deserve.
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