If it seems as though I haven’t been reading much lately, it’s just because I’m doing the Amazon Breakout Novel Awards reviews, so I’m reading a thousand words each of 40 novels instead of reading any all the way through. Once that’s done, I have four books from booksfree, five to review, and six in PDF, so I certainly won’t run out of things to read any time soon.
I am still reading Life@Work for my Lenten study. The section on being called rather than driven talks about characteristics of those who are driven. They can’t distinguish what they do from who they are, they rely on their power or position for their satisfaction and are willing to compromise their principles to keep those things, their happiness depends on having everything turn out the way they planned. The called, in contrast, see themselves as stewards of their time and talents and careers, not as owners. The next question in the book is: thinking of our careers, our assets, our gifts, our health — with which do we behave like stewards and with which do we behave like owners?
This is an odd idea, I bet, for people who aren’t used to it. The basic notion is that God owns my time, my body, my gifts, my family, the earth, and I’m supposed to take good care of those things for God. It’s pretty obvious that if I think in terms of God’s handing me my health and saying, “Listen, would you take care of this for me? I’ll need it back in a few years,” then I’m not doing a very good job. “Here’s some time, and I’d like you to make the best use of it, on my behalf.” Hmm… not always doing the best thing there either, am I?
If we take this idea seriously and try to follow through with it, there is no doubt that I’d have to make some changes.
I really like this idea. In fact, I believe it, even though I’m not technically a Christian. But I’ve changed and adapted so much in my life, it’s not hard to move from one thing to another. And right now, I’m learning how to let go of titles, like “artist” or “mother.” Agreed, those are a little more difficult, but I’m making some headway.
Hi there. I liked your post.
I guess I’ve always thought of stewardship of my resources, talents, time, etc. as something I would do FOR God…something that is a service or a duty…but really we do it for ourselves, too. Our lives would be more meaningful, we would feel more fulfilled, be healthier and all that if we were better stewards of all we have and are. Interesting to think about.
@jan_a_writer –
Thank you for your kind words.
I think you’re right. We’d definitely benefit from behaving as though we were stewards — fi only because we value God more highly than we do ourselves, so we’d take care of His stuff better than we do when it’s just our stuff. Which makes sense, of course.
@alissasorenson –
There’s a higher truth to some of these concepts that we can appreciate without accepting the title “Christian,” it seems to me.