We are Stewards

26 May We are Stewards

Read 1 Corinthians 4:1-5

Thought for the Day: I am asked to be a faithful steward of Jesus!

Of all the characters in Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, none offers a stronger example of how not to live than the tragic Denethor, Steward of Gondor. Instead of faithfully accepting his role and duty, Denethor foolishly believed he was stronger than the Dark Lord Sauron and could use his enemy’s magic stone (the “Palantir”) against him. Rather than embracing his role as caretaker of the throne until the king returned, Denethor insisted, “Gondor has no king”. Instead of accepting the wise counsel offered to him, he isolated himself and eventually succumbed to madness, misery, and despair. Simply put, rather than being a good steward until the return of the king, Denethor blew it.

In the First Letter to the Corinthians, the Apostle Paul reminded us that living a Christian life is an exercise in service and obedience. “This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.”

There is no question that we are living in complicated times. It is easy to make the mistakes of Denethor. However, we are instructed to be caretakers of Jesus’ Kingdom on Earth until His return. It is our responsibility to accept the wisdom of other Christians until Jesus finally comes. In the end, only He will be our final judge.

How are we living today? Are we making the mistake of trusting too much in our own strength and ability? Do we think that we alone have the ability to resist temptation and sin? Or, are we trusting in Jesus? It is only then that we will discover that we are only asked to do one thing well. We are called to be stewards!

In Christ,

Pastors Stan and David