Steward It Well

CONGRATULATIONS!! 🎉

Yes, you! Congratulations on your remarkable achievements! 🎊 You've waited so long, and now you finally have that new car, 🚗 a beautiful house, 🏡 and a well-deserved raise at work.🤑 But I have one question, what condition are your old belongings in? 👀 While you're off on that amazing all-girls trip now, think about how your last friendship ended. 💔 Yes, we can hear the powerful engine of your new car revving from miles away, but what does the inside of your previous car look like now? 😵 Often, in our excitement for the new, we lose sight of the value of what we currently have, resulting in us neglecting the goods. The saying another man's trash is another one's treasure, is not just talking about a relationship, I'd like to look at it from another perspective. For example, if we were to look at our old belongings do they have the potential to be someone's keepsake? Or was it already trash 🚮 at the thought of your new thing? 

Merriam-Webster defines stewardship as "the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one's care." There are many facets within that definition we could explore, but one that stands out to me is the notion of being entrusted to care for something. 🔐 When things or people are entrusted to us, our role becomes one of significant responsibility. Stewardship can be used in various areas of our lives. Financially, it involves how we budget and what we invest in. 📊 Personally, it encompasses maintaining our health and using resources wisely. ✅ Ethically, it requires us to be accountable for our actions, such as being punctual and not misusing company time. Stewardship is indeed a broad concept. 💯

Consider the example of a 5-star business owner 🌟 who hires you, a complete stranger, with managing an entire shift and team. Initially, you might just want to perform your duties and go home. However, you end up successfully managing the shift, upholding the owner’s vision. 📝 It's remarkable how a stranger can place such trust in another stranger to steward their business well. Funny, right? Yet, it exemplifies the essence of stewardship: the responsibility and trust involved in managing something with care and diligence. 

Just imagine if a stranger can have that much faith and trust in someone they don’t know, how much more trust do you think the Lord has in His sons and daughters? 🙌 He knows you, knows your plans even before you write them down, 🖊 and knows every word outlined in your heart before you express it. 💝 What has the Lord entrusted you with? Could it be your children, 👶 your wealth, 💰 or perhaps a business idea 💭 that only you can bring to life? The Lord has placed great trust in you, entrusting you with precious responsibilities and unique opportunities. It's a call to stewardship that asks us to manage and nurture these gifts with care, wisdom, and integrity. Are you living up to that trust and faithfully carrying out His vision?

Why would He give you something you're not capable of handling? He is too good of a Father to stand by and watch you fall apart. ✝ Honestly, some of the things we think we want, we're simply not ready for, and He saves us from those pitfalls time and time again. 🔄 If we could truly see how often God has shielded us from error, it would be mind-blowing. 😳 His wisdom and protection are always at work, guiding us and ensuring we are prepared for the blessings and responsibilities He entrusts to us.

After high school, I was determined to get a car. I told myself countless times, "My bus🚍days are over, and I'm done asking for rides." Little did I know, God was probably laughing at my ambition, 😂 knowing I wasn't as ready as I thought. I dreamed of an expensive, fully loaded push-start car, even though I didn't have a dime to put towards any payments. I went to the dealership, test-drove the car, and took pictures, convinced it was mine. But I was wrong. 🙅 Looking back now, I realize that if I had gotten that car, I would have been financially overwhelmed and unable to be a good steward of my resources. God, in His wisdom, saved me from a mistake that could have set me back significantly. His timing and understanding were perfect, even when I couldn't see it. 👏

I continued to catch the bus and rely on rides from others. Instead of being late to the bus stop and barely making it, I began arriving on time. ⏰ I started genuinely thanking those who gave me rides, realizing the importance of showing appreciation. But we all know that a simple "thank you" won't fuel the car! 😆So, I began contributing gas money without complaint. In this process, I learned to be punctual and manage my finances better, not knowing how long this situation would last. I rejoiced over the small blessings, and in doing so, God increased my provisions. Nurturing what we have leads to greater rewards. As the Word tells us, "Be faithful over a little and he will make you a ruler over many things." 👑

I was finally able to get a car—paid off, no payments, and the title in my name with no hassle. 🥳 Though it wasn’t the latest and greatest model, it was mine, and I loved it. I kept the car in pristine condition, not even a chip bag or bottle of water 🍶 to be found inside. I made sure the new car smell never faded. 😊However, years later, I grew comfortable and began to neglect the car in pursuit of something better. Even though nothing was wrong with my current car, I felt unsatisfied, and the whole process started over again. 👎 Eventually, I learned my lesson about stewardship and the importance of maintaining finances, relationships, and material items. I realized that if we see things from God's perspective, it changes our own. Everything you own, rent, or borrow, and every person you encounter, is a testament to how valuable and trustworthy God believes you are. He has entrusted you with one of His prized possessions, and it is your honor to care for it as such. 🤍

Take a moment to inspect the things you currently have and the people in your life. Do your efforts reflect God's vision? Or should He place His trust elsewhere? 🚫

See you on the next blog Wednesday! 

You are a bloomer. Bloom baby bloom, with me Tee! 😌