Stewardship

Stewardship testimony give at FBC Thomson - Dec 2001

Mark 14:3-9 Alabaster Jar

Ultimately, good stewardship is not a matter of wise money management or even responsible giving. It is a matter of extravagant love. Breaking this expensive jar and pouring out this even more expensive perfume was an act of worship for this woman. Jesus had given her so much she could not help but worship him.

Evaluating assets and giving them was as unnatural to the first century Christians as it is to us today. That is the whole point. Conversion and commitment to Christ requires a supernatural experience. Private ownership of property was still a part of life, but joyful giving and sharing of this property became the “norm” of supernatural living. The examples Jesus gave us to follow were not about millionaires giving huge amounts of money. It actually was not focused on the money at all. Examples in scripture that we are to emulate are about every day people like you and me:
Widows giving from all they have.
Short tax collector that repents and gives out of his love for Christ.

My own growth in stewardship has paralleled my growth as a disciple. In fact it has propelled it. I have learned more about faith, trust, grace, commitment and God’s provision through stewardship than in other areas of my life.

I cannot claim that I did not know about tithing and giving, after all I was reared on the first pew on the piano side of my church. I had wonderful examples to follow beginning with my parents and extending to other church leaders. The cause of my not being a steward was that I flat did not want to do it. I wanted it all for myself. This was my money. I had to provide the things I wanted and needed. I was selfish.

When Ron and I began our family we decided to tithe. It was not easy it required a different mind set. The money and things that we thought were ours were really God’s. God provided our jobs, God provided our home, God provided our very existence. As Ron’s illness intensified tithing was already a habit for us. I had to take over the family finances and tithing and giving became a way we could thank God for every blessing he provided in such a trying time.

Paul said, “God loves a cheerful giver.” It can be said also, “ A cheerful giver loves God”. The more a cheerfully I gave, the deeper the love and joy. Making wise choices with our money are supreme acts of worship. Giving changed from something I ought to do to something I should do to something I did because I was a Christian to an act of worship.

Here is my challenge to you.
Have you taken in the love Christ has extravagantly poured out for you?
Has it left your heart so filled with gratitude that you can’t help but lavishly pour it out in return?
Is his love transforming your prayer form, “Give me Lord” to “Use me Lord – all that I am and all that I hold dear”?