DAILY DEVOTIONS
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"Honoring God in the Morning"
Are you a steward-leader? (109-5)
God has entrusted to leaders the dignity and responsibility of being stewards of the resources and creatures of this planet. When a leader shapes, refines or creatively utilizes the minerals, plants and animals that God has placed at their disposal, they are accountable for the results. Read 1 Chronicles 29:10-16.
Near the end of his reign as king of Israel, David was stockpiling materials for construction of the temple to house the Ark of the Covenant of God. He has described his task in 29:1b saying, “The task is great, because this palatial structure is not for man but for the Lord God.” Wow! Talk about a vision statement!
David personally had given willingly and sacrificially of his resources for this project and at his request so had the leaders of families, the officers of the tribes, the commanders of his army and the government officials.
When people saw the results of their combined efforts they rejoiced together and during their time of celebration David gave a public prayer in which he clearly acknowledged that all things ultimately come from and belong to the Lord.
When people saw the results of their combined efforts they rejoiced together and during their time of celebration David gave a public prayer in which he clearly acknowledged that all things ultimately come from and belong to the Lord.
This recognition was accompanied by an awareness that he and his subjects were accountable stewards of God’s abundant resources. As stewards, leaders are expected to realize the maximum possible return on the resources which the Master has entrusted to their care.
The stewardship principle encompasses a lot of ground and requires leaders to consider everything from how they spend their allotted time on earth to how they manage and develop the financial and human resources that God entrusted to their care.
The stewardship principle encompasses a lot of ground and requires leaders to consider everything from how they spend their allotted time on earth to how they manage and develop the financial and human resources that God entrusted to their care.
As much as I would like to lighten up on this leadership point for my own peace and comfort, this is an area of leadership responsibility God seems to take very seriously as verified by Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 25 when He tells us that at His second coming, only faithful stewards will be prepared to meet Him.
The accountability for leaders to be stewards applies whether a leader is trusted with the resources of the President of the United States or the responsibilities of the worker that sweeps up at McDonalds.
The accountability for leaders to be stewards applies whether a leader is trusted with the resources of the President of the United States or the responsibilities of the worker that sweeps up at McDonalds.
What differentiates a leader’s success or failure as a steward-leader isn’t the amount of resources available but the manner in which we exercise our gifts and talents. Effective steward-leaders faithfully use their gifts, talents and resources within the sphere of influence God allotted to them.
Your assignment – identify two areas of leadership where it is obvious you must be a good steward and search for and identify two areas of your leadership where stewardship is more obscure. On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being exemplary performance, evaluate how you are doing on the obscure areas of leadership.
Proverbs 27:23 Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds;
1 Peter 5:2-3 Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.
Your assignment – identify two areas of leadership where it is obvious you must be a good steward and search for and identify two areas of your leadership where stewardship is more obscure. On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being exemplary performance, evaluate how you are doing on the obscure areas of leadership.
Proverbs 27:23 Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds;
1 Peter 5:2-3 Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.
