It’s interesting to note that the subject matter of stewardship is of extreme importance to the Lord—both in and out of the home. Jesus said, “…Who then is that faithful steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season?” (Lk. 12:42). Add to that, Christians are to be “good stewards of the manifold grace of God” (1 Pt. 4:10), and elders are to be “blameless as God’s steward” (Tit. 1:7). Paul said that apostles and preachers of the first century were to be “stewards…found faithful” (1 Cor. 4:2).

So, as you can see, stewardship is mighty important to the Lord. In fact, as one writer stated, “almost half of Christ’s recorded sayings relate directly or indirectly to money. One out of every six verses in the Gospel Accounts concerns man and his possessions. Nineteen of thirty-eight parables deal with material possessions. Sixteen times more is said about stewardship in the New Testament than about baptism and thirty-two times more than about the Lord’s Supper. Christ said more about money than about repentance, the new birth, heaven, and hell (as vital as these subjects are).”

As important, and as much as the Bible has to say about stewardship, one would think that our families would have better control of the resources that God has let us borrow. The fact of the matter is, poor stewardship is having a real impact on our homes. For example, in 1994, Robert Sullivan asked couples to give reasons for why they argue. The number one reason was money. In point of fact, money problems are one of the leading causes of divorce—four to one over anything else. Someone retorted, “Until debt do us part” is closer to reality than the vows the couple actually made at their wedding.

The following statistics are noteworthy: 1. Many are spending 20% of their income paying off short-term debt. 2. 70% experience living paycheck-to-paycheck. 3. 90% will not be able to retire with dignity. 4. A number of people have an average car loan lasting 55 months and costs about $380 per month. 5. The average college graduate is carrying about $3,000 in credit card debt.

Now, here’s where we want to get into our hearts. Our children are really smart. They’re watching our every move, even as it relates to our finances. How are we doing when it comes to teaching our kids about good stewardship? Are we showing them practical ways to be thrifty? Are we encouraging them not to spend more than they have coming in, and doing so by example? Are we teaching them the value of a dollar—how to make it, save it, give it, and spend it? This is a fundamental lesson we should be teaching them from their youth (Dt. 6:6-9).
–Neil Richey