A pastor 1 tells the story of being entertained one evening at the home of a wealthy Texas oilman. After dinner the host took his guest up to the roof of his house and showed him huge fields of oil derricks. He said, "Reverend, that's all mine. I came to this country twenty-five years ago penniless, and now I own everything as far as you can see in that direction." Then he turned to the opposite direction and, pointing to waving grain fields, said, "It's all mine. I own everything as far as you can see in that direction." Then he pointed to huge herds of cattle on the east and a great virgin forest on the west, saying, "It's all mine. I worked hard and saved, and today I own everything as far as you can see in every direction." He paused for the expected praise, but to his surprise it didn't come. Instead, the pastor laid a loving hand on the man's shoulder, pointed upward and asked, "My friend, how much do you own in that direction?" The man dropped his head in shame and admitted, "I never thought of that."

Today we kick off our annual Stewardship Campaign. One pastor noted that you can always tell when it's Stewardship Sunday because all the men sit there with their arms folded across their chest 2. But this morning I invite you to sit back and drop your defenses, because I’m not going to ask you for money. Today, I want to talk to you about the stewardship, not of your money, but of your lives.

This morning’s scripture lesson from First Corinthians concludes with these words from the Apostle Paul: “Think of us in this way, as servants of Christ and stewards of God’s mysteries.” And our passage from 1 Peter directs us to be, “…good stewards of the manifold grace of God…”

In Greek, the original language of the New Testament, the word which is translated into English as “steward” is oikoNOmos, literally “house ruler.” Throughout the New Testament, the word is used to mean a caretaker or manager, specifically, of a household. The steward was not the owner of the house, but rather oversaw the running of the house for the owner, and he had the authority to make independent decisions regarding the management of the household staff and the use of the owner’s property. A steward was one who owned nothing, but was responsible for everything and cared for it. Inherent in the term steward were the qualities of caretaking, responsibility, trustworthiness, and sense of duty to the owner.

In the church, when we talk about stewardship, it is most often used just in reference to money. But Christian stewardship encompasses far more than finances.

Stewardship is about living a life based on the premise that everything in the world belongs to God; it is choosing a way of life that reflects the Psalmist’s words: “The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it.”

Stewardship is about making choices in all aspects of our lives that enable us to live with a spirit of thanksgiving and gratitude for God’s love and generosity.

Stewardship is acknowledging that we are caretakers, but not the owners, of all the blessings that God has showered upon us.

Stewardship is our loving and grateful response to our loving and gracious God.

And ultimately, stewardship is about relationships — our relationship with God, with each other, and with God’s creation. When the choices we make nurture and respect those relationships, then we know we are acting as good and faithful stewards of all that God has given us.

God calls us to be good stewards in a variety of ways.

• We are called to be good stewards of our spiritual life, deepening our relationship with God through worship, prayer, meditation, reading and studying scripture.

• We are called to be good stewards of our minds and bodies, understanding that God’s love for us requires us to take care of ourselves and to see the beauty that God has placed in each of us.

• We are called to be good stewards of the time God has given us on this earth, striving to find a healthful balance in work, rest, play, worship and service.

• We are called to be good stewards of the wealth that comes to us from God’s abundance, tending to our own needs yet also trusting enough in God to return a portion of our wealth to support the work of the Church both near and far.

• We are called to be good stewards of our gifts and talents, identifying them and realistically assessing how we can best put them to work for our own growth as Christians and for sharing God’s love with others.

• We are called to be good stewards of one another, relating to those around us in loving, open and compassionate ways.

• We are called to be good stewards of the Church, this community in which God has placed us to grow together in faith and understanding, and to serve in ministry and mission.

• We are called to be good stewards of the earth, its natural resources and all living things. God has placed us in relationship with all creation and entrusted us with its care and management.

• We are called to be good stewards of the Peace of Christ, letting it rule our hearts and offering it to others in love and humility.

I hope as I went through this list, you were considering how well you are doing in the stewardship of your life.

Do you acknowledge that everything you have -- indeed, everything that is in the world -- comes from God?

Do you recognize that you are the caretaker, not the owner, of the many blessings God has showered upon you?

Do you live with a spirit of thanksgiving and gratitude for God’s love and generosity?

Do the choices you make about how you live your life nurture and respect your relationship with God, with God’s people and with God’s creation?

In her poem “The Summer Day,” Mary Oliver asks, “Who made the world? Who made the swan, and the black bear? Who made the grasshopper?” And she concludes with this question: “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”

When you dedicate your one wild and precious life to understanding God’s mind, to knowing God’s heart, to following God’s ways, and to being good stewards of all of God’s blessings -- of the manifold grace of God -- then God will be able to say to you, “Well done, good and faithful servant… Come and share in my joy” [Matthew 25:23]. Amen.

1. Baptist Pastor Dr. George W. Truett, 1867-1944.
2. “Rev. Kenneth Powell; pastor who stayed put, and inspired” by Bryan Marquard, Boston Globe, October 13, 2007.
3. Lafayette-Orinda Presbyterian Church, Lafayette, California, www.lopc.org/whatisstewardship.as

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