1 Samuel 15-16. Isaiah 1:18-19. Numbers 12.
Moreover it is required in stewards that a man be found faithful.1 Corinthians 4:2.
A Steward is that person in whose hands are committed someone else’s estate, property or goods in trust, awaiting when it shall be accounted for. On another side, the steward can also be one who is responsible for another’s foods and drinks. Either way, the steward is expected to carry out such assignment with due diligence, honesty of purpose and integrity of heart.
That’s what Apostle Paul means when he tells the Corinthians that it’s required in stewards that a man be found faithful.
To deepen the conversation, we shall x-ray four other requirements for faithful stewardships.
1. God’s SOVEREIGNTY as owner of the work.
Many people, including believers involved in a task– whether secular or spiritual — very often lose sight of who owns the job. Or who is their employer. For us in church, we sometimes say ‘ my church’. Hmmm. That’s incorrect. God owns the church.
Everybody is a steward unto God. Even secular assignments are owned by God. After all, the earth is of the LORD, and the fullness therein. Psalms 24:1. Therefore, any steward who fails to recognize that God owns and gives the assignment, it will be impossible to carry it out with the required faithfulness.
The reality of this understanding failed Nebuchadnezzar as the king of Babylon. He learned it in a very hard way, as God consigned him to the beast of the field for seven years to teach him some quality lessons. Indeed, he was right when he said that in Daniel 4:34-35:
And at the end of the days I , Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and my understanding returned unto me,..
And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven,; and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, what doest thou?
Yes, nobody who doesn’t recognize the SOVEREIGNTY of God in human affairs, will ever work to be faithful serving Him, or being His steward.
Today, many people strut about claiming to be servants of a God that isn’t sovereign over them.
Do not be misled into thinking that your successful financial and material benefits are enough endorsement of your wayward and negative kingdom lifestyle.
No. Sometimes, gain does not represent divine approval. Esau eventually succeeded, but there is no place in the Scriptures that, he built an altar.
His success was a product of general grace, in the way the sun shines upon the bad and the good. Recognize God as SOVEREIGN, and the owner of the work, your employer. That’s the way of faithful stewardship.
Pharaoh also suffered a similar fate. But this time with the entire Egypt, after he asked Moses: Who is that God that I should let you go? He paid with the death of his first born child with flocks and a devastated ECONOMY. Jesus is Lord! Fear Him.
LOYALTY.
To be loyal is to stick to one in viewpoint, opinion or position. To follow a leader or a guide without wavering, questioning of seeming unwillingness. The person who is loyal does not have their own personal viewpoint, opinion or position on any matter, apart from that of his leader or guide. How about that? That is the position of God. That’s why so many INTELLIGENT and WISE people are not in church. Things spiritual appear foolish and stupid to such people. But we move.
Hebrews 11:1-6.
A loyal steward therefore does not have his own opinion or viewpoint or position to express. Such a steward is bound by the opinion, position or viewpoint of his master. As stewards, the Sovereign LORD is our Master. We are bound by His opinion, His viewpoint or His position on all matters. Many of us believers miss it when we want to be discretionary, creative and smart. Indeed, the faithful steward doesn’t need to do all that. His duty is to carry out every instruction, as given by the master, your spiritual guide and your leader.
Very often, some believers seem to think that they are smarter than their leaders. Even if that is true, faithful stewardship requires you to remain loyal to them. A steward shouldn’t challenge the master because he is just an employee to the master.
This was where Miriam and Aaron got it all wrong when they criticized Moses over his marriage to an Ethiopian woman. Whereas they were correct, they were judged to be disloyal by God, who punished them on that score.
Numbers 12.
A steward’s loyalty is like a military service: half loyalty is no loyalty at all. We must be loyal to God as faithful stewards. It was disloyalty that caused Lucifer it’s place in the Heavenlies. Beware!
OBEDIENCE.
An obedient steward carries out his duties without changing the details. He does it as directed by his master. To be candid, some instructions could look odd, awkward or outrightly stupid. Yet a faithful steward is bound to obey. The reality of this wisdom failed Israel’s first King Saul, who could not understand why Israel must destroy everything including the best of goods and materials, in a conquered Amalek in war – it doesn’t make sense.
So he had support in his soldiers who encouraged him to keep the war spoils and King Agag. But it was a terrible indiscretion that cost Saul generational blessings.
1 Samuel 15-16.
With obedience, the faithful steward eats the good of the land. Isaiah 1:18-19. Are you in the habit of disobeying God and His divine instructions? Saul’s experience should guide you.
ACCOUNTABILITY.
Stewards are also programmed to give account as we see it in the Scriptures, especially the parable of the TALENTS.
Jesus demanded accountability from those who received his talents. In the same way, He will demand accountability from all of us who labour in his vineyard.
In Hebrews 4:12-13, the Bible tells us that God’s word has capacity to expose everything in our body, including those in the bones and marrow. The import of this is that God is able to see through us and to determine all we do. Besides, His eyes are also penetratingly deep to search through our thoughts and actions thereby laying them naked before His presence.. When a steward loses sight of the day of accountability, being faithful becomes a difficult task. As a pilgrim, how accountable are you with your time, talents and all material resources including money?
Think on these. Happy Sunday. God bless.
ABOUT THE PREACHER
Pastor Okoro is a revivalist and a marriage counselor. He could be reached on:
08051000562.
©All Bible references are from KJV.
October 30, 2022.
