Genesis 15:18—On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates.”
Prayers of the People, Holy Eucharist I—Open, O Lord, the eyes of all people to behold thy gracious hand in all thy works, that, rejoicing in thy whole creation, they may honor thee with their substance, and be faithful stewards of thy bounty.
Prayers of the People, Form IV—Give us all a reverence for the earth as your own creation, that we may use its resources rightly in the service of others and to your honor and glory.
Honestly, I don’t like the word Ownership, I prefer Steward, because my sisters and brothers that is our calling.
We must always remember that all things, including ourselves, ultimately belong to God and God entrusts us with resources and the responsibility to be good stewards of God’s creation. A good example of this is the Parable of the Five Talents. The Parable of the Five Talents (Matthew 25:14-30) is not really talking about money but stewardship and responsibility. In short, we are not to waste what God has given us. We should not hide what God has given us. We are not to do nothing with what God has given us.
Each of us has God-given gifts and the things we have are blessings from God. We don’t all have the same gifts but whatever we have, God expects these gifts, these blessings to be used wisely. We have free will to choose. It is up to each of us to decide how to use these gifts to be lights that shine.
What will we do with the gifts we’ve been given? The laundry list is long. I’m reminded of a quote from Maya Angelou—“Be a rainbow in someone else’s cloud.” We will help the needy, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, grant forgiveness, love one another, etc.? Of course we will, because we are willing stewards in God’s kingdom.
I often speak about being a beacon of light to shine in the darkness of those less fortunate than us. We can be good stewards of our time, our talents, our faith, our friendships, and our lives. We can delight in creation, respect the dignity of all persons, and responsibly use the Earth’s resources.
Most important is to be good stewards of ourselves—our mind, body, and soul. If we aren’t good stewards of ourselves, then we cannot be good stewards of anyone or anything else. The Lenten period is a time to reflect on how to be good stewards of ourselves. Use these forty days for reflection, prayer, and rest.
Author: Deacon Natalie+