Starts with G-o- and has all the answers...

Even if this blog weren't hosted for free by Google-owned Blogger, I would still think Google is amazing. I'm starting to rely on Google web search, news, and maps for most of my information needs. In fact, at times it's a bit disturbing when I realize I look more often to Google for answers than I look to God in prayer.

Stewardship is one clear example of how looking to God brings more insight than the world's most famous search-engine. Try it - do a search for "stewardship" on Google. Then try narrowing your search for "Christian stewardship."

What did you find? It seems that most of the Christian stewardship sites focus exclusively on financial managment (notice all the sponsored links to Christian fundraising services), whereas most of the secular sites concentrate on stewardship of the environment and natural resources. This Christian focus on financial stewardship to the exclusion of many other resources, including the environment, is ironic in light of God's first charge to humanity, which was to steward the earth he had created (Genesis 1:28). [There are actually many good Christian organizations focused on creation care - I hope to add links to these in future posts.]

The understanding of stewardship that we can receive from God through the Bible is so much broader than what we gain from a Google search. Stewardship is about honoring God with all of our resources -

• our possessions (i.e. money, material goods, time)
• our person (i.e. body, personality, and abilities)
• our position in society (i.e. opportunities, relationships, life experiences)

Stewardship is also not just an individual affiar, but something we exercise together, particularly over

• corporate resources (i.e. creation, community, the gospel)

Which of these resources (or others not listed here) might God be calling you to steward more faithfully right now?