As we journey through this year’s church theme of Discipleship in Society, there are moments when we are called to pause and reflect on who God is and how we are responding to Him in the society around us.
One such reflection is on stewardship — not just as a financial concept, but as a deeply spiritual practice. Stewardship reorients our hearts toward the Giver of all things, and compels us to reach out in faith and generosity as part of our discipleship journey.
Looking Up to the Giver of All
“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights…” ~James 1:17
Scripture reminds us that everything we have is from God. Our time, talents, possessions, income, relationships — each of these is entrusted to us by a generous God who delights in blessing His children.
Yet in a world where self-sufficiency and accumulation are often celebrated, it’s easy to forget this truth. We may begin to believe that what we have is purely the result of our own efforts, or that we must guard it closely for fear of not having enough.
Stewardship begins when we choose to look up — recognising God as the source of every blessing and aligning our hearts with His abundant grace. Looking up reminds us that our true security is not found in the size of our bank accounts, the things we own, or even our carefully laid plans. It is found in the One who provides for our daily bread and who knows our needs even before we ask.
As Jesus said in Matthew 6:33:
“Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
Reaching Out to Answer His Call
True stewardship doesn’t stop at gratitude, it leads to action. It moves us to reach out and answer God’s call to be His hands and feet in the world. The resources God entrusts to us are never meant to end with us. They are meant to flow through us to bless others, to build His kingdom and to reflect His character.
Our Youth Ministry recently formed a Treasury sub-committee, and this team came up with this tagline that captures this posture so well: “Faithful Stewards, Cheerful Givers.” It is a hopeful sign that even the next generation is being nurtured to respond to the call of stewarding and giving, not as obligation, but as worship and witness. This is discipleship in action.
As God’s people, we are called to manage God’s blessings, God’s way, for God’s glory. When we give our time to serve, when we open our homes in hospitality, when we support the work of the church, when we meet the needs of those around us — these are all acts of worship. They are tangible responses to God’s call to love Him and love our neighbours with all that we are and all that we have.
As a church, we are stewards together. Every ministry that touches lives, every mission trip that brings the gospel to the unreached, every care package delivered, every discipleship group formed, every outreach event held. All this is made possible through the generous and cheerful stewardship of God’s people.
Your giving whether financial, practical or relational is never in vain. It is a seed sown into eternity.
Just as Scripture reminds us in 2 Corinthians 9:10,
“Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.”
A Heart of Worship, A Life of Generosity
Stewardship is not a one-time act, it is a lifestyle shaped by worship. When we look up to the Giver of all, we begin to see our resources not as burdens to manage or treasures to hoard, but as tools to bless others.
This requires a shift in mindset — from asking, “How much do I have to give?” to praying, “Lord, how much can I give for the sake of Your kingdom?”
May we be a people who look up daily in awe of His provision and reach out faithfully to participate in His mission.
As we do, we will discover the joy of generosity, the strength of trust and the beauty of being part of something far greater than ourselves.
Let us be Faithful Stewards. Let us be Cheerful Givers. Not just because there is a need, but because we serve a God who has given us everything and lovingly invites us to join Him in giving it away for His glory.
(Photos: Unsplash.com)
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