7 Must-Wins: Stewardship

This week, we continue our fall blog series, “7 Must-Wins.” With a uniquely personal twist toward us as women, we will address seven topics that must be understood and walked out in order for us to have success in this life. To start with Part 1 of this series, click here.

At some point, we’ve all asked and answered the question. If I had a million dollars, what would I do with it?  And usually it follows with some grand plan to give and help others…right after we go ahead and buy that new car, or boat, or vacation we’ve been dreaming about.  The reality is that most of us will probably never be millionaires. The real question is: what will you do with that with which you’ve been entrusted—no matter the number?

That’s what stewardship is all about. How will you allocate the gifts that God has given you?  It speaks to more than just finances, but since money is mentioned more than almost any other topic in the Bible, I’d say it’s probably a big deal. It’s a big deal because the way we steward our money says a lot about where our hearts are.

Many of us say things like, “Well, I’ll give when__________.” Fill in the blank. When the babies are out of diapers. When we get out of debt. When the kids are out of the house. But the Bible says in Proverbs 11:25, “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.” It seems our logic (myself included!!) can be a little backwards in the economy of God’s Kingdom. We think, “I’ll be generous after I prosper.”  He says be generous and THEN you’ll prosper!

Here’s the key: It’s all His anyway. He didn’t ask us to be good owners. He asked us to be good stewards. And if we truly see Him as our source, it’s not that hard. After all, spending other people’s money is easy! 😉

Let me wrap this up with a picture God gave me a few years back. I was standing next to a solid white picket fence that seemed to stretch on for miles and miles. Right next to me a tree branch was hanging over the fence with several ripe, juicy oranges on it. I felt like I was supposed to give a couple of these oranges to someone else. But then anxiety set in. “But Lord,” I said, “if I give these two away I’ll only have a couple left, and that’s not going to last long!” At that moment he took me up to a higher perspective. I could see over the fence that this wasn’t just a single branch of an orange tree, but a massive orchard that stretched as far as the eye could see. I realized that all these oranges were available to me, and suddenly, giving away two didn’t seem like a big deal at all. It’s all about perspective.

I know financial hardships are real. And I know that as women, one of the things we crave is security. But we don’t have to live in the fear of lack. When we are faithful to answer the call to give, He is faithful to meet all of our needs.

“Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.” (2 Corinthians 9:10-11 NIV)

This post was written by Becca Wilhite. To read more about her, click here. 

**To read Part 7, click here.