Heirs, not Stewards

When I was presented with the opportunity to share in a stewardship temple talk at my church recently, I was drawn to the theme of this one: “Owner, not Renters”. Recent events in my life have caused a change in my circumstances and in my relationship to property such that I am no longer a Property Owner, but a Renter once again and adjusting to that old relationship.

But as I waded into the given passage from the first part of Ephesians and considered what it had to say to me about stewardship, other notions came to mind.

A steward is the chief servant of an estate. As such, he is neither Renter nor Owner.  He represents an owner, who has vested authority in him to manage or govern in his name.  A good steward works in the best interests of his master. 

And this is where stewardship intersects with Paul’s preface in his letter to the Ephesians.  Paul tells us in this passage what God has done for us.  According to Paul, He has chosen us, He has predestined us to adoption as sons and daughters, He has bestowed grace on us through Jesus who has secured our forgiveness and redemption.  God has revealed His intimate purposes to us, has declared us heirs and has confirmed us as His own possessions by His Holy Spirit.

God, then, has elevated us not from Renters to Property Owners, but rather from stewards to heirs.  We are no longer mere caretakers of an asset that will pass through a lineage of which we have no part.  He has brought us into the family and has made us a part of the line itself. We have been graduated from servants to family.

It is from that position as joint heirs of the kingdom of God that we invest our resources, our time, our capabilities – our very Selves in its prosperity to the praise and the glory of God. That’s what Paul says.

So how do I feel about being a renter again? I would have to say I feel relieved of some responsibilities that I did not particularly enjoy. But I also feel a certain loss of status in a society that grants homeowners a bit more respect, credibility and financial advantage.

Then I remember who I am. I am a beloved, adopted child of God. Paul reminds me that when I exercise my stewardship in God’s kingdom, I am taking good care of the heritage God has given me, as well as the inheritance He will one day confer.