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A Lifetime Response to God

Gosh… stewardship.

Before this year, I’d say that the way I thought about stewardship at church was related to seeing the banners hang out front, declaring that it was time to give to the annual campaign, and monitoring the “thermometers” throughout the church showing how close or far away we, as a congregation, were from our budgetary goal.

Then I had the good fortune to join the Stewardship Committee, and little did I know what lay in store.  The first meeting I attended, my whole concept of stewardship was thrown out the proverbial window, and in its place, a much more holistic, joyous and – in my opinion – a Biblically-based description of stewardship emerged.

Time. Talent. And Treasure.

Earlier this year, I got very sick. So sick that I had to take a few months off from work, and visit the Mayo Clinic. One of the blessings that came out of my illness was the period of healing I experienced not only physically but also spiritually. I felt as if God had given me a new lease on life and, with that, a greater responsibility to lead a Godly life.

Turns out, stewardship is exactly that – how to lead a Godly life. I do personally believe that everything that I have I owe to God. I’ve said many times over many years how blessed I am, but it wasn’t until I more fully understood stewardship that I feel as I do now – which is that stewardship is my response to that sense of blessing and abundance.

And so, like all of us, I’ll challenge myself to continue to think of stewardship beyond an annual campaign or a number on a financial spreadsheet.  Stewardship is a lifetime response to God that starts now.

Good luck and God bless.

– Jamie Prince