Luke 12:42-46 And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward whom his lord shall set over his houseservants, to give them their portion of food in season? 43 Blessed is that servant when his lord comes and finds him so doing. 44 Truly I say to you that he will set him over all his possessions. 45 But if that servant says in his heart, My lord delays his coming, and shall begin to beat the male servants and women servants, and to eat and drink and to be drunk, 46 the lord of that servant will come in a day when he does not expect, and at an hour when he does not know. And he will cut him apart, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.
The concept of ownership often influences how one can view the world, but if we recognize the truth that our time here is short and we can’t take anything with us, it will change our perspective. We are simply stewards of what has been entrusted to us. I’ve been running Worthy and its sites for 25 years, and I’ve never thought I was an owner but rather a steward of a ministry.
But how do we define stewardship? In English, stewardship is the responsibility of safeguarding, nurturing, and enhancing the resources entrusted to you on behalf of another. However, if we dive into the Biblical definitions it will unlock deeper mysteries of stewardship, I believe it will radically transform how we live.
The Hebrew word for steward, Sochen, also translates as agent, representative, and even “power of attorney” in legal terms. In Greek, the word for steward, oikonomos, offers an even deeper insight, meaning overseer or superintendent of household affairs. So the concept of stewardship is not only taking care of one’s goods, but also of one’s family.
To be a wise steward, one must be found faithful, reliable, and trustworthy. The Hebrew word for “faithful,” ne’eman, is closely related to amin, meaning “reliable.” Both of these words share the same root as emunah, the Hebrew word for “faith”. Another word derived from this same root is omenet, meaning “nursemaid”—someone entrusted with the responsibility to nurture and raise a household and its children.
So in both Hebrew and Greek, there is a deeper revelation about stewardship, it’s not just about goods and possessions, but about how we treat one another!
So stewardship in not simply responsibility over one’s material possessions, but also encompasses our care for people and the relationships we have with one another. When we embrace this Biblical understanding, it will profoundly shape our perspective of life, what we are called to do, and how we live. So let’s choose to live to a higher level of faithfulness, trustworthiness, and love, knowing that this life and all that it entails is ultimately simply on loan to us by God!
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[worthy_plugins_devotion_single_body]Yesterday, actor Robert Clary of Hogan's Heroes fame passed away at the age of 96. Upon reading his autobiography, Mr. Clary was the youngest of 14 children. However, 10 of his siblings were tragically killed during the Holocaust. He survived his captivity in the Buchenwald Concentration Camp in 1942. Upon reading his story, and with thanksgiving coming this week in the United States reminded me of another story by Corrie Ten Boom, a Christian survivor of the Holocaust because of her willingness to protect Jews during World War 2.
The parable of the Prodigal son might also serve as an illustration of the relationship between Israel and the Church.
The first thirty years of my life were spent in Baltimore, Maryland, and I have many fond memories there. One of these is a trail in the woods by the Patapsco River. I used to go fishing there with my dad and spent many a weekend hanging out with my friends, wading in the water.
Scottish minister Alexander Whyte was known for his uplifting prayers in the pulpit. He always found something for which to be grateful. One Sunday morning the weather was so gloomy that one church member thought to himself, "Certainly the preacher won't think of anything for which to thank the Lord on a wretched day like this." Much to his surprise, however, Whyte began by praying, "We thank Thee, O God, that it is not always like this."
As we continue in our study of the parable of the Prodigal son, let's focus on the central figure in the story -- the father. The father is much like the helpless parent whose unending love is neither understood nor appreciated by either son. He allows his sons to make their own decisions, despite how bad those choices may be. No matter what terrible wrong they may commit, he loves them -- a perfect picture of the love of our Heavenly Father has for his children.
Most people overlook a very significant part of the parable of the prodigal son, which is – the elder son received his inheritance as well! (Luke 15:12b) According to the custom of the times, the older son's inheritance would have been twice that of the younger son. In that light, his response to his younger brother's initiative, a response of silence...speaks volumes.
I'm sure we all have heard the parable of the Prodigal Son [Luke 15:11-32], but I want to spend some time this week really dissecting this particular parable so we can gain deeper insight into this message of Jesus (Yeshua).