Being a Good Steward vs. Doing Stewardship

Philippians 2:1-8

If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:

Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.

And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross!

Doing the job of being a stewardship coach is more than beating our bodies and minds into a new discipline. If we try to do that, we will fail because human motives are impure and human strength is limited.

However, we can be a good steward, which is to put on (or imitate) Christ's humility. If we see ourselves as nothing but servants of the One who gives us breath then we are positioned for for the work of stewardship.

I was speaking with a young friend today who "gets it" in knowing that we seek transformed lives, not just profitable transactions. I reminded him that he did not always have this handle on the truth. Moreover, we are continuing to grow in knowledge and wisdom. As such, we should stay humble recognizing that puffiness can stunt our spiritual growth.

With the humility of Christ as the standard we can approach others with grace and care, the same grace He lavished on us when we came to see that we cannot save ourselves.

We should still be bold and passionate, while being ever mindful of the One who gives and releases all good gifts.