It seems that today many people are looking for some deep secret that is hidden from the masses; a secret that, if used, will offer instant gratification to those who are intelligent enough and recognize its value. Magazines constantly exploit those expectations, promising incredible weight reductions with new diets, fortunes to be earned by following the advice of the newest financial guru, and several other promises numerous too to be mentioned! However, the surprising fact is that those who promote and perpetuate these questionable advertisements earn many millions of dollars. It seems that these schemes of exploitation are still successful due to something in the collective psyche, which provokes a strong desire to have a "competitive advantage". Women definitely want to stay ahead of the competition and end up being avid consumers of cosmetics and dietetic foods - constantly looking for the latest information on what works and what does not work. However, we are not going to leave men away from that - personal appearance and finances are generally well on top of their lists of concerns and they are also interested in hearing the "hot tips". As funny as this human condition sometimes is, we do not want to lose sight of the fact that from time to time "the information of whoever understands" is true! We are not going to leave men away from that - personal appearance and finances are generally well on top of their lists of concerns and they are also interested in hearing the "hot tips". As funny as this human condition sometimes is, we do not want to lose sight of the fact that from time to time "the information of whoever understands" is true! We are not going to leave men away from that - personal appearance and finances are generally well on top of their lists of concerns and they are also interested in hearing the "hot tips". As funny as this human condition sometimes is, we do not want to lose sight of the fact that from time to time "the information of whoever understands" is true!
Psst! Hey, Christian, I have news for you. There is a high possibility that you have learned one thing from the Word of God and have never understood all its implications - much less applied in your daily life. This "open secret", a secret that was fully revealed in the Word of God, but which is grossly neglected by Christians throughout the Church Age, refers to God's plans for our duties as his stewards. Unfortunately, whenever the word "stewardship" is mentioned in the middle church, one can almost feel the instantaneous effect on the congregation. "The pastor is never satisfied! There he comes to talk about money again!" The silent message travels the banks faster than the speed of light. "or something similar?" The average church member would prefer to hear a sermon on any subject other than contributions, "Why do I suppose this is true?" I think there are several reasons, and one of them is a total misunderstanding about what The Bible has to say about our individual responsibility as stewards and the tremendous rewards given to those who face the task seriously.
It is interesting to watch them play and fight! to a group of children who play, sharing is a totally strange concept for them. Where did you learn to be selfish? they were "pre-programmed" to resist any invasion attempt on "their space". To have obedient and well behaved children, new parents need to quickly learn that these little treasures of heaven need to be consistently supervised and taught that selfish behavior is not acceptable. Some advice will rarely be enough - most children have such strong will that literally years of persistence by their parents are necessary to eradicate (at least) the external manifestations of "it's mine, it's mine". It seems safe to say that none of us can fully overcome this basic characteristic of human nature. Is it surprising that we all have the tendency to be a "closed hand" with our money and our goods? When we go out - when we are born into the family of God through the new birth and become Christians - we must cooperate fully with the Holy Spirit in gaining victory over that infantile sin of the flesh. Is it surprising that we all have the tendency to be a "closed hand" with our money and our goods? When we go out - when we are born into the family of God through the new birth and become Christians - we must cooperate fully with the Holy Spirit in gaining victory over that infantile sin of the flesh.
Thus, we see that the basic human nature has a large part in our reluctance to be funny and generous in offering, but there is another factor that is often overlooked. I am convinced that most Christians do not even know what the biblical terms mayordomo and mayordomÃa mean. They may have heard the terms are used in sermons on stewardship - when recipes are low and when any renovation or expansion is necessary - but for most, they are synonymous with "the pastor wants a raise!".
In biblical times, the steward was usually an employee, or in some cases, a slave, who had won the respect and confidence of the owner of the house. This trust was so complete that the master delivered all the administration of his patrimony to that individual. What is most unique about that relationship was the fact that the steward basically assumed the power and influence of his teacher and adopted almost the same lifestyle. During the time the butler remained faithful, he still enjoyed those special privileges. As we would say today, "It was a big business to be a butler!"
The stewards must be faithful in the execution of their tasks, or they will quickly end up losing the trust of their lord. We are stewards of the Living and True God and He expects us to make abundant use of their resources-first and foremost, for the benefit of the others and after ourselves.
