StewardLife Lesson 16
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STORY:
Reclaiming gold and silver from old mines is becoming a booming business. What miners once tossed out as worthless tailings and ore are now sought by new prospectors. Because of current prices for silver and gold, they can extract the metal using new methods and make a substantial profit.
As a sinner, you may feel like worthless rock, used up and tossed out. Certain times, events and seasons can do that to you as you examine your life. “My sin is ever before me,” David says in Psalm 51.
But the Christian road leads to the cross. Here Jesus says to you, “You are not worthless. I have reclaimed you. I give you your worth and chose to die for you. I have restored your value, and will keep you as my own. You will shine like silver and gleam like gold” (Job 23:10; Psalm 66:10)
Christian stewards recognize that with salvation comes a reclaiming of all of God's creation (Romans 8:18-23). Everything that was tossed on the sin-heap has now been made valuable once again by a new refining process in Jesus' blood. What was looked upon as worthless now has a new value, set by God.
As Christian stewards we thank the Lord for reclaiming us and bestowing upon us our value as members of His kingdom. We can shine like the silver and gold we now are as we serve the Lord faithfully and willingly. Our service can be an example to the world around us.
We no longer belong to ourselves, but to God who reclaimed and refined us (I Corinthians. 6:19-20). He has staked His claim on us. For that reason we love, honor, serve and obey Him as His own.
STORY:
There was a track star who trained for eight hours every day. In all kinds of weather he ran, jumped and vaulted. He kept to a strict diet. He got his rest. He gave up friends, parties and all of the “normal” things that his peers were doing so that he could train for competition.
A reporter was able to catch up with him just long enough to ask him what drove him onward in his quest for excellence. The runner turned to the reporter and answered in all sincerity, “I just enlarged my trophy room and the new shelves are empty. I need to win more trophies so I can fill the shelves.”
The reporter was shocked.
The reporter knew true athletes are driven by the desire to compete and succeed. They choose goals and pit their current skills against what they might do with more training, more practice, more refinement. They are often in personal competition only with themselves and their ability to give that extra effort to assure success. In fact, most athletes give away objects that others would think are so dear to them: their trophies, their medals, their number jerseys, their bats, racquets and clubs.
INSIGHT OUT:
Christians discover joy not in what can be amassed in the form of badges of honor or physical symbols of success.If you surround yourself with things, then you are like the athlete. You will succeed in collecting objects while losing sight of the objective—eternal life in Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 9:24).
EXERCISE
BMW Cadillac Infinity Chevrolet Ford Auto nameplates communicate something more than the kind of car to which they are attached. Nameplates reflect price and quality; they can also suggest owner status and lifestyle.
Think of the nameplate you carry: Christian. It suggests someone paid a dear price for you. That price indicates you are a quality product with special status in God's sight. As people consider the value that special features add in buying a new car, consider the special value God adds to your life daily in the blessings He gives. Now let the price paid, the extra value received and the nameplate you carry be reflected in your StewardLife.
