“At the harvest time he sent a slave to the vine-growers, in order to receive some of the produce of the vineyard from the vine-growers. They took him, and beat him and sent him away empty-handed” (Mark 12:2-3).
The least attended service of the year is often stewardship Sunday. Who wants to hear about giving? How often is the Lord sent away empty-handed? We often rely upon the good stewardship of others. In the end of our earthly life, we will leave behind all that we have accumulated in this world. The pattern of this world is all around us. The Lord calls us to be stewards and not owners. All we have belongs to Him and He entrusts it to us.
Holy and Triune God, there is poor stewardship all around us. From the ones who, without thinking drop their trash for another to pick up to Your church where many do little to nothing but sit. Help us to move away from the greed of this world to the place where we seek to live faithfully, whatever that may mean. You know the stumbling blocks in the way of our life in You. Remove them so we may grow in the likeness of our Savior.
Come, Holy Spirit, and convict me in those places where I am like the world and not like Christ. Plant in me the word of Christ so that I seek to live in the balance You give. All I need is provided for. A good steward does store for times of need; but help me to be balanced according to Your leading and not according to the way of the world. Teach me to be a good steward and not leave You empty-handed when the need arises. Amen.
