God is not looking for us to just do things different next time, but He wants to teach us to steward and care for the thing that He has given us now.
Genesis 2:15 ESV
*The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. *
Work/Cultivate; The effort a farmer makes to ensure that he will produce as bountiful a crop as possible.
God’s purpose is accomplished because men and women cultivate and guard the resources, gifts and anointings that God has given us!
Matthew 25:14-30 ESV
14 “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants[a] and entrusted to them his property. 15 To one he gave five talents,[b] to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. 17 So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. 18 But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. 19 Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ 21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.[c] You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 22 And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.’ 23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 24 He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ 26 But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29 For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
*1- Learn to be content with what we have. *
Discontentment causes you to focus on what you don’t have, or what you have lost instead of leaning into and stewarding the gift or the people that are in front of you.
1 Corinthians 12:21-27
21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.
The longer we doubt and question the things that God has us to tend, the longer that thing becomes neglected in our lives!
2- Idleness is the Fruit of Not knowing God’s Heart.
As the days grow darker, Gods people must shine brighter.
Proverbs 22:6 ESV
Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.
3- Significance is in the stewardship, not the size of the gift!
God isn’t interested in our money/time, but He is interested in how we treat those things, because it’s a reflection of our development, and He cares about the condition of our hearts.
Matthew 25:40
And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers,[a] you did it to me.’
Discussion Questions:
What do you think of when you hear the word stewardship? What does it mean to you to steward what God gave you?
Why is stewardship so important to the Heart of God? How does stewardship and gratefulness go together?
Describe one gift God has given you? What is one way that you have used that gift for His Glory? What is one way that you can appreciate something God has given you or done for you this week?
What is one area of your life where you have become idle in? How can you get a glimpse of God’s heart for you in this area? What is one thing you can do this week to show some faith?
Is there anything in your life, that you have not stewarded well? How can you begin to care for it. Pray for one another that you all would have the boldness to care for those areas in your life.