This is the second metaphor of life that we find in the Bible. Our time, energy, intelligence, opportunities, relationships and resources are all gifts that God has entrusted to us. We are stewards of whatever God gives us. This concept of stewardship begins with the recognition that God is the owner of everything and everyone on earth, "The world and all that is in it belong to the Lord; the earth and all who live on it are his." Psalm 24:1. We never really own anything during our brief stay on earth. God just loans it to us while we are here. It was God's property before you arrived and he will loan it to someone else after you die. You just get to enjoy it for a while. When God created Adam and Eve, he entrusted the care of his creation to them and appointed them stewards of his property, "God blessed them, and said, 'Have many children, so that your descendants will live over the earth and bring it under their control. I am putting you in charge.' " Genesis 1:28.
The first job God gave humans was to manage and take care of earth and all it contains. It is still a part of our purpose today. Everything we enjoy is to be treated as a trust that God placed in our hands, "What do you have that God hasn't given you? And if all you have is from God, why boast as though you have accomplished something on your own?" 1 Corinthians 4:7. Our human nature says, 'If I don't own it, I don't have to take care of it.' But God expects us to live by a higher standard, in that we must take the best care of earth we possibly can. Jesus often referred to life as a trust and told many stories to illustrate our responsibility toward God. In the story of the talents in Matthew
25, a businessman entrusts his wealth to the care of his servants while he's away. When he returns, evaluates each servant's responsibility rewards them accordingly. The owner says, "Well done, good and faithful servant, you have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness." Matthew 25:21. At the end of your life on earth you will be evaluated and then rewarded according to how well you handled what God entrusted to you. That means that everything you do, even simple chores have eternal implications. If you treat everything as a trust, God promises 3 rewards in heaven: affirmation, promotion and celebration.
Most people fail to realise that money is both a test and a trust from God. He uses finances to teach us to trust him, and for many people, money is the biggest test of all. God watches how we use money to test how trustworthy we are. Jesus said, "If you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven?" Luke 16:11. God says that there is a direct relationship between how you use your money and the quality of your spiritual life. How you manage your worldly wealth determines how much God can trust you with spiritual blessings. Life is a test and a trust, and the more God gives you, the more responsible he expects you to be.
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