stewardship

For 21st century post modern “sheep” that attitude presents a problem. We don’t like to think of ourselves as dependent on anyone or anything else for protection. We want to be cowboys, not sheep. When danger and challenge comes knocking, it is not our nature to stand back and let a protector answer for us. This independence is reflected in the way in which we manage the resources that God has entrusted into our hands. Fear causes us to cling to all that we have. Our distorted stewardship reflects self reliance and fear of scarcity. We falter in our recognition of the shepherd’s voice and we fail to trust in the abundance of the shepherds care and strength.

Good stewardship practice and the cultivation of a generous heart lead us back to the affirmation of our proper role as sheep which belong to the Good Shepherd. Where our treasure is, that is where our heart resides. Generous sharing feels like risky behavior in a cowboy culture. But it is in that risk that our relationship with God is confirmed.