Stewardship

Part Two of The Three Pillars for Setting Godly Boundaries

Last week, in Part One, we saw how choosing to say “no” to worldly behaviours and thought patterns, not only confirms who we are, but also protects the very life and ministry that God entrusted to us.

We learnt how embracing our “holiness” is an essential pillar, not only for life, but for setting godly boundaries. You can read about that here

Today we’ll look at the second pillar – that of stewardship.

Definition of Biblical Stewardship?

Colossians 3 v 23 put’s it perfectly:

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters

Based on Colossians 3:23, biblical stewardship is the act of conducting your life and work as a direct service to God rather than for human approval.

It means recognising that every task you perform is sacred, and is to be done with excellence and integrity as an act of daily worship to the Lord.

Like I shared in Part One, my own thoughts around this verse have changed over time, so I choose to see it a little differently.

Instead of just working as if I’m working for the Lord, I remind myself that, if Jesus lives in me, which His word says He does, and I believe He does, then I should be working as though it’s Him working through me – which He is. It feels like it adds another layer of “seriousness” to the verse.

By reminding myself Whose I am, it becomes easier to remember Who I’m meant to be representing in every area of life, whether in my home, at a secular job, or in ministry. My aim should always be one excellence and integrity – working with my whole heart…

Of course this doesn’t happen overnight, it’s a process of consistently laying down the old me and picking up the new life I’ve inherited in Christ. God totally understands that.

We’ve had a lifetime of living in the old, sinful, selfish nature, so learning to lay that down for the holy nature that is ours in Christ, is a process.

Examples of Biblical Stewardship:

In the home:

This would look like seeing your everyday, household tasks like washing dishes, parenting, or maintaining your yard, as a direct service to God rather than a chore that needs to be done.

Instead of viewing them as a burden, you perform them with excellence and integrity, treating your home as a sanctuary you’re managing for the Lord’s glory and the peace of your family.

In the Workplace:

Biblical stewardship shifts your focus away from working for a salary or a promotion to working for the Lord.

You do your job with honesty, meet deadlines, and treat colleagues with respect not just because it’s your job, but because you’re representing Christ to your employer and co-workers through your excellence and integrity.

In Ministry:

Here Biblical stewardship involves using your spiritual gifts and time without seeking the spotlight or for human applause.

Whether you’re leading a Bible study or cleaning the church floors, you do it wholeheartedly, knowing that your true reward comes from God, who entrusted you with that specific role to build up His people.

Five ways to practice godly stewardship when setting boundaries:

1. Steward Your Energy
   Before saying “yes” to a new commitment, assess your current commitments and energy levels.

   If adding a new task means you’ll be too exhausted to serve your family or do your job “heartily” as if for the Lord,(Col 3:23), the right choice is to decline. You’ll be saving your energy for what matters most.

2. Defining Your Primary Ministry
   In the Bible, stewards were often given specific portions of a vineyard to manage. Identifying your “primary ministry” is important. Is it your marriage, your children, or your specific job or ministry?

   When outside requests or pressures threaten to pull you away from these God-given priorities, use that boundary to stay focused on the specific ministry He assigned to you.

3. Protecting Your Rest
   God commanded rest because He knows we need it. Setting a hard boundary for a day of rest is an act of stewardship. You’re telling others (and yourself) that you trust God to run the world while you recharge the body and mind He entrusted to you.

   And of course the most important is to make quality time to sit at His feet so you can be filled to overflowing.

4. Say Yes to Integrity

   Your word must be reliable. If you say “yes” to a ministry or work task but do it poorly because you’re spread too thin, you have failed in stewardship.

   Setting a boundary is an act of integrity; it ensures that when you do say yes, you can deliver the excellence the Lord deserves.

5. Value Your Peace
   You are a steward of your “inner man.” If a toxic relationship or a constant stream of gossip is draining your peace and making you ineffective in your calling, setting an emotional boundary is necessary. You’re guarding the “temple” of the Holy Spirit, so you can remain fit for the Master’s use.

Remember, by choosing to say “No” to worldly behaviours and thought patterns, be it your own, or those of others who would seek to influence you, you’re building a godly boundary that will confirm who you are and protect the very life and ministry He has entrusted to you.

Conclusion:

So far we’ve looked at two of the three pillars for setting godly boundaries.

Pillar One: Holiness

Holiness is the “why” behind our boundaries. It establishes that we are set apart and sacred to God.

Our “holiness” gives us the confidence and authority to say “no” to anything that contradicts who God says we are.

Pillar Two: Stewardship

Stewardship is the “how” of our boundaries.

It recognizes that our time, energy and talents are His. We set boundaries not to be selfish, but to be responsible stewards (managers) of what God has entrusted to us.

Godly stewardship gives us the strategy to say no to “good” distractions so we can say “yes” to the most important God-given assignments.

If our holiness confirms our identity as God’s children, our godly stewardship helps us produce the most fruit in His kingdom.

Next week we’ll look at the final pillar – protection, and how that can help protect that which is most precious to us and God.

I’d love for you to leave a comment and share with us an example of how you steward your life and ministry wisely, as if unto the Lord.

Also feel free to share this with a friend.