A s a child I remember getting some of the best gifts at Christmas time.  But two weeks after Christmas, many of those gifts were broken and unable to be enjoyed.  I didn’t have the understanding or wisdom at that age of how to steward those gifts for longevity.

1 Corinthians 13:11 says, “When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.”

As we step into this new semester lets move away from the mindsets of the past and step into God’s wisdom of “stewardship” for our lives.  The very fact that God became a man speaks of “stewardship.” Jesus, the second part of the Trinity, functions in stewardship.  Knowing the will of His Father, He acts and becomes flesh in order that we might be redeemed to the Father.  Jesus was a servant, a manager of God’s will.

I want to encourage you in this new semester to see yourselves as stewards of Heavenly Father’s desire and purposes in and through your lives.  This means your time, your talents and your treasures are all on the table of stewardship.  Before you become overwhelmed, this is not about doing more, but about being led by the Holy Spirit in stewarding that which Heavenly Father has entrusted you.

It’s also not about the amount of time we each have that makes the difference, but the way in which we exercise our gifts and talents within the time available. We can waste time; we can spend time; or we can invest our time wisely. That’s what stewardship is about: faithfully developing and using our gifts, talents and resources within the amount of time God has given us.

We own nothing. God owns everything.  We are simply managers, stewarding His design and desires. The Bible says in Deuteronomy 8:17-18, “You may say to yourself, ‘My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.’ But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth.”

We can’t bring anything to the table except a humble “Yes” to His daily leadership. 1 Peter 5:5b-7 says, “… be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”  therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,  casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.”

Clothing ourselves in humility is foreign to us as humans, but necessary. So lean with confidence into His leadership and love, knowing that He is able. Lean with hope in your hearts that He will give grace to you in this new year.  And trust that the Lord will guide your footsteps by His Word.