The Meaning of Stewardship
What comes to mind when you hear stewardship? Most often, it is money. However, stewardship is not just about money. It is about the totality of your life, who you are, what you are and how you deal with what you have, meaning your time, talent and treasure (money and possessions).
What do we know about money? Some say, “It is the root of all evil,” from St. Paul’s First Letter to Timothy, which reads more fully: “The love of money is the root of all evils, and there are some who, pursuing it, have wandered away from the faith and have given their souls any number of fatal wounds.” (1 Timothy 6:10, NJB). To avoid that from happening to us, we need to remember that Jesus Christ should be the object of devotion, not our possessions.
What did you first learn about money? Perhaps the first lessons you learned are that money is hard to come by, that it should not be wasted; that you should save all you can for a rainy day and that it does not grow on trees. All of which sounds negative, doesn’t it?
Do you recall how old you were or the first time you gave money to the church? Perhaps it was merely pocket-change your parents gave you to put in the collection plate. Later, when you were older, the church gave you a pledge card. I am now 85 years old. I remember that in 1962, I was asked to complete a pledge card to give money for the church’s budget. This is not a good understanding of stewardship. The true meaning of stewardship is to give back a portion of what our Lord has given us for the ministry and outreach of the church.
The pledge card you sign denotes that you are a member of St. Martin’s and, in gratitude for all that God has given, you support the work God does in and through this Parish.
When people ask, “What should I give?” the Biblical standard is a tithe of 10 percent (Genesis 28:18-22), but some families and individuals may not be able to reach that goal. If you are not there yet, plan to reach that goal.
I would like to thank our St. Martin’s family for your generosity. The stewardship of time, talent and treasure that you give is an example for others to follow. Thank you, Lord, for your many blessings.
P.S. I recommend 1 Timothy 6:17 as a guide for a good stewardship lifestyle.
