Stewardship

Stewardship. . . What do you think about when you hear that word? To me it means taking care of and using wisely what God has entrusted to me, and I think it encompasses much more than money. What has he entrusted to me?

• Money. Living within our means and according to a budget is a huge part of stewardship. But beyond just saving our money, are we honoring God with how we spend it?
• Resources. I also think about natural resources and the environment. How am I being a steward of the earth? I recycle, I use reuseable bags at the store, I buy things used, try to re-purpose things we have, I use Freecycle, we are able to pass down clothes in our family, etc. Am I doing enough to take care of the earth? How green is green enough? Often I take surveys that ask something like "are you willing to pay more for products from eco-friendly companies?" My answer is usually no because being "eco-friendly" could mean they put bricks in all their toilets, for all I know. I find I need to have a balance in managing our money and managing our environment.
• Time. This is the great equalizer, isn't it? We are all given the same amount of time in a day. How am I honoring God with how I spend it? Am I giving time to Him and to others?
• People. Am I raising my family to honor God? Am I being a good example to them and to others?

There are other areas that require stewardship as well, and these questions and more are ones I wrestle with. Finding a balance is always a challenge, but as long as we're working on it, hopefully there is progress.

On the topic of stewardship and managing resources, I watched a 30-minute version of the movie I.O.U.S.A. Wow, what an eye-opener! Our country is in a world of hurt financially, and this movie was made BEFORE all the federal bailouts that have happened in the past year. I encourage you to take some time to watch the movie. Even if you only watch the first 10 minutes, you'll get an interesting history of our country's federal debt from the very beginning. The movie was well done and is non-partisan, meaning it doesn't lay the blame for our country's mess on any one person or party. It lays out the federal debt, and shows its ups and downs throughout the history of our country. It's been accumulating for quite awhile now, and it's only getting worse due to our fiscal irresponsibility. Our generation has lived in an age of prosperity, and as a country we often feel a sense of entitlement. Our "live for today, easy credit and consumption-oriented society" has left us with a mess. As individuals, we need to scale back and save money. As a country, we need to scale back and save money. In the video, it shows a short called "Squanderville versus Thriftville" by Warren Buffett. Which side are you on? Which side is our country on? What can we do about it? This isn't about pointing fingers or blaming anyone. Choices and circumstances have contributed to these problems. I don't mean to be a doom-sayer, but if we as a country don't wake up and do something, we are going to be in serious trouble.