Stewardship is defined in the dictionary as “the use of one’s time, talents, and possessions.” Although we often identify stewardship with voluntary church work, it is a concept that is not unique to Christians. There are many non-Christians wo willingly use their resources to “do good” for the welfare of others. They appear to be as unselfish and caring as their Christian counterparts.
What, then, makes Christian stewardship different than non-Christian stewardship? I believe that the difference is the “motivation” behind the actions taken. The following paragraphs examine three such motives.
Fear of Punishment. Ever since Adam and Eve hid in the Garden of Eden after committing the first sin, mankind has been able to distinguish good from evil. This sense of morality, known as conscience, alerts most people to basic principles of right and wrong. Unfortunately, not everyone has the same degree of sensitivity to conscience. As a result, almost every culture has developed a system of laws. The fear of punishment is often used as a motivator to encourage compliance with those laws.
From a religious standpoint, people throughout history have lived in fear of punishment by powers greater than themselves. Pagan peoples living near volcanoes established rules for living and worship designed to keep their “mountain gods” quiet. Today many people use their “good works” as an insurance policy against bad things happening in their lives. Some call it karma.
Expectation of Reward. When asked by reporters why he gives so much to charity, one famous entertainer explained, “Because it makes me feel good.” The predominant church body in Utah teaches that its members must become “perfect” through their own efforts in order to become gods in the afterlife.
In both examples above, some type of anticipated reward is the motivation for performing “good deeds.” However, in the case of the entertainer, good feelings are fleeting and can’t be counted on to motivate when times are difficult. In the second example, an overwhelming amount of stress can result from trying to reach unattainable perfection.
Thankfulness. Christians practice stewardship out of thankfulness for the forgiveness of sins won for them by Jesus on the cross. The Christian motive for being good stewards is the opposite of fear of punishment. As Paul wrote in Romans 8:1 (NIV), “Therefore there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” We want to serve Him because we are forgiven sinners.
The Christian motive for stewardship is also the opposite of expectation of reward. As sinners, we deserve eternal punishment. We can do nothing on our own to change that. Instead, Jesus suffered and died on our behalf. We did nothing to deserve God’s saving grace.
When we realize all that God has given us, particularly forgiveness earned by Jesus, we can’t help but thankfully return to Him a portion of the time, talents, and possessions that He has given us. That is the true motivation behind being a Christian steward.