Stewardship by Jirafa

Stewardship is taking responsibility of the things you have been given or put in charge of. Some examples of things in my life that I am responsible for are the dishwasher, my room, my bird, and the money I earn. All of these things are my responsibilities and privileges, but they really belong to God. In this essay, I will talk about three areas of my life in which I can be a better steward – money, time, and possessions.

I wake up every morning and do my morning routine, which includes making my bed, making sure my room is clean, taking care of my bird, and emptying the dishwasher. By doing the dishwasher, I earn a commission of .50 per day. I also earn money by doing other things such as yard work for my parents or neighbors, taking care of my sister while my mom does other things, and this year I had a business selling Christmas wreaths. I give 10 percent of my earnings to the church as a tithe. Sometimes I also give an offering, which is when a person gives more than their tithe. One way I can be a better steward with money is to learn how to increase it, and so be able to afford to give more and save more for important things in my future. Matthew 25: 14-30 tells the Parable of the Talents, where three servants each received a sum of money from their master who was going away on a trip. Two of them used the money wisely, and one did not. I would like to be like the two who used the money wisely and heard the master say, “Well done, my good and faithful servant!” I want to be faithful in a few things so that God can put me in charge of more.

In my study about stewardship, I also read scripture about how God feels about the things he trusts us with and what we do with them. He is interested in much more than just what we give to the church. He is interested in how we spend our time, and whether we spend it diligently or foolishly. He is interested in whether we take responsibility for our actions or if we do not. Galatians 6:7 says, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.” I know I do not always use my time wisely, because sometimes I dawdle when I'm supposed to be doing my schoolwork. And sometimes I spend more time playing than I spend taking care of my responsibilities or reading God's Word. Colossians 3:23 tells me to work with all my heart as unto the Lord, not for men. If I would obey that command, I would be a better steward of my time.

A way I can be a better steward of my possessions is by remembering that they belong to God and not to me. I should treat God's things the way He would have me treat them. One example is my bird. I feed him, keep his cage clean, and take him out to play with him and give him exercise. Another example is food. I can be a better steward of food by only taking as much as I can eat, and by putting food away when I have finished. That way the food will not spoil. I also want to make sure to eat only healthy things so that my body stays healthy, as the Bible says that my body is God's Temple. In that way, my body is a possession that I need to be a good steward of.

This study of stewardship has been very good for me. I now have goals of how I can be a better steward for God, and I hope to accomplish them so that my life will be pleasing to the Lord.