Tag: #stewardship

The Myth of Tomorrow: Embracing Today

How often have we said, I will do it tomorrow?

How often have we postponed our important appointments, e.g. our medical checkup?

How often have we procrastinated on important but not urgent tasks, e.g. writing our will?

Tomorrow is an Illusion

Our procrastination shows that we believe there is an infinite amount of tomorrows. Our urgency mostly comes when there is a deadline to meet, or a health scare, or a market crash! And sometimes, it is too late, resulting in regrets.

But the Bible warns against such complacency:

“Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.”

— Proverbs 27:1 (ESV)

Today is Your Stewardship

We often think of stewardship in terms of money or resources, but our greatest stewardship is our time, specifically, our “today”. Each day is a precious gift from God.

Jesus lived with holy urgency:

“We must do the works of Him who sent me while it is day” — John 9:4

Embrace Today – in Good Stewardship

Let us be good stewards – faithful and obedient to God:

  • Start the day thanking God for each new day
  • Set aside time in the morning to seek God’s direction for the day
  • Turn your commune time into prayer time
  • Use break time to send encouraging messages of support and love
  • Be sensitive to God’s soft promptings to do things, whether it’s a Hello or a smile, or opening a door
  • When God nudges you to contact someone, do it immediately
  • When God convicts you of your sin, confess and repent as soon as possible
  • When God asks you to forgive someone, do it while you can – don’t wait until it’s too late
  • When God gives you a crazy impossible ideas, don’t make excuses
  • We are called to plant seeds “today”, but not demand a harvest by sunset – trust in God’s timing
  • End each day with thanksgiving to God for all His blessings and protection

“Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” — Psalm 90.12

My Invitation

This is my invitation to you today – before the day ends, do one thing you’ve been putting off – not in your strength, but in surrender. Do the one thing that has been prickling you for ages, and God is reminding you today. You know what it is…

Buried Talents: Unveiling the Meaning of Stewardship

In Matthew 25:14-30, Jesus shared the Parable of the Talents, where the master gave his three servants five talents, two talents and one talent, each according to their abilities. The servants who were given five and two talents invested and got five and two talents more, earning the praise from the master:

“Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” — Matthew 25:21 (NIV)​

But the one who was given one talent buried it, and returned back the one talent to his master, who was furious with him.

God Entrusts Us According to Our Abilities

In the parable, the master gave the servants according to their abilities. God knows us intimately, and He entrusts us according to our abilities. We are stewards for the abilities, responsibilities and opportunities that God has given to us. He has great plans for each of us, and wants to entrusts us with more – when we show that we are good stewards of His gifts and use them to serve others.

“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” — 1 Peter 4:10 (NIV)

Faithfulness Leads to Greater Opportunities

The servant with two and five talents made two and five more talents. God rewards His faithful stewards with more gifts, opportunities and responsibilities.

“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.” — Luke 16:10 (NIV)​

Neglecting Our Gifts has Consequences

The servant with one talent was so afraid that he hid his one talent, and his master was mad. Often, we let our fears, limiting beliefs and self-sabotaging ways – bury our abilities, responsibilities and opportunities. Then what little you have – it will be taken away from you!

“Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you.” — 1 Timothy 4:14 (NIV)

My Invitation

This is my invitation to you today: reflect on the gifts God has entrusted you, and commit to actively steward them for His glory and the benefit of others.

Faithful Stewards

Recently I joined the pilot group in Malaysia for the Compass course, Navigating Your Finances God’s Way. The first lesson was impactful – all that we have and own belongs to God, and He is in control of everything. We are God’s faithful stewards to the money and possessions that He has given us.

When we realize that we are accountable for this stewardship, then we must understand what is our responsibilities as stewards, namely, to be faithful with what we are given, and to be faithful in every area (not just the supposedly 10% tithing only). The most important lessons I have learnt from the course are: to trust God with the money and possessions He has entrusted to me, to give joyfully, to be absolutely honest, to seek Godly counsel when the situation requires, to avoid debt and being a guarantor, to save for emergency, to invest wisely and to work unto the Lord.

Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men… It is the Lord Christ whom you serve. – Colossians 3:23-24

When I share with my group that I am ‘changing my Boss‘, I am not sure if they understood that I am changing my earthly boss to a Heavenly Boss, and not that I am changing job! Haha!!!