Good Steward

I was recently reading a few links on the true understanding of stewardship. I realized that I only accepted that title in a few areas of my life. I thought of my stewardship in terms of money, time, talent, etc. However, I never really thought of myself in those terms when it came to all areas of my life. I am a steward of my marriage, my children, my friendships, and anything else that could be left here when I return home. Now that hit me two different ways, at first I realized the impact that should make on my thought process towards these aspects and second it reminded me of how easily I can and will go from steward to glory. It was cemented by multiple posts this week on different trusted blogs about cancer and the frailty of life. I believe I think about my death more than most people, but it has always been in a healthy way. I always want to live like any day or second could be my last so I need to live it to the fullest. But sometimes I think we can easily get caught up in our life, our conveniences, our "needs" and we miss the fact that we are expected to live as stewards and not owners of everything in our lives. My job is not to hold onto my life and try to suck the marrow out of it constantly for myself, but to instead prepare everyone and thing for life after I'm home. I will go home one day, and I think the true test of stewardship will be how you left things behind. I need to prepare my wife, my children, my family, friends, etc for the possibility that today is my last.

No, I am not dying. But, yes I am. I could be dying today. Have I done everything I can to prepare what's in my life for the end of my life? To me that is real stewardship. In the parable of the talents, the workers weren't called into judgement for their use of the talents until they met the master. So, as will I. At that time, I think my stewardship will be based on the lasting effect of what I did through God's grace. Sometimes in this world it is easy to get caught up in even "fun" things. But I think we need to be living in constant thought of how we glorify God with our daily lives, how we are stewards of His grace.

Horatio Bonar wrote" The Kind of Men God Used," for a book preface, and as I read the list the one that struck me was the #9 "They were of solemn department and deep spirituality of soul." The solemn part threw me off and I contemplated what he meant. How does that reconcile with our joy? They seem to conflict.

Not to steal from Shrek here, but see we have layers. My solemnity is based on the fact that I know what is at stake everyday. That I am living myself with a "holy violence" (Watson), but that holy violence includes the joy of Christ. I must live with that joy while realizing that I need to spend each second as a good steward. I can't allow any aspect of my life to be secular or indifferent to it's relationship to Christ. I need to seize teachable moments while I am enjoying my children. I need to seek out areas of my life or in the lives of others where I can impact them with both the solemn focus of God's glory, and the joy of Christ.