The Steward of Grace
In Preparation...
- Read Ephesians Chapter 1 completely.
Am I a good and faithful servant?
What am I a steward of that is another man’s? Honor is something that cannot be built, borrowed, stolen, or made by ourselves. Honor is something another man gives you. Grace is the forgiveness extended to someone else who doesn’t deserve it. Forgiveness in grace is something we carry in stewardship of for other men. If I am unwilling to be a good steward of that grace for someone else, returning it to him or her each time I see them, then why should I expect God to extend to me any grace at all at my own judgment when I am no longer allowed to be the steward of other people’s honor, grace, and forgiveness?
1 And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods.
2 And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward.
3 Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? for my lord taketh away from me the stewardship: I cannot dig; to beg I am ashamed.
4 I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.
5 So he called every one of his lord’s debtors unto him, and said unto the first, How much owest thou unto my lord?
6 And he said, An hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty.
7 Then said he to another, And how much owest thou? And he said, An hundred measures of wheat. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and write fourscore.
8 And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.
9 And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.
10 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.
11 If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
12 And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man’s, who shall give you that which is your own?
13 No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
Luke 16:1-13 (KJV)
English Strong's 5485-Greek
Greek Word: χάρις
Transliteration: charis
Phonetic Pronunciation:
Root: from <G5463>
Cross Reference: TDNT – 9:372,1298
Part of Speech: n f
Vine’s Words: Accept, Accepted, Acceptable, Benefit, Benefactor, Favor, Favored, Grace, Liberal, Liberality, Liberally, Thank, Thanks, Thankful, Thankfulness, Thanksgiving, Thankworthy
Usage Notes:
English Words used in KJV:
grace 130
favour 6
thanks 4
thank 4
thank + <G2192> 3
pleasure 2
miscellaneous translations 7
[Total Count: 156]
from <G5463> (chairo); graciousness (as gratifying), of manner or act (abstract or concrete; literal, figurative or spiritual; especially the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life; including gratitude) :- acceptable, benefit, favour, gift, grace (-ious), joy, liberality, pleasure, thank (-s, -worthy).
James Strong, Strong’s Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary, (Austin, TX: WORDsearch Corp., 2007), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, Under: “5485”.
Grace is the thing we keep for other people but want for ourselves. Like honor, we cannot earn it, build it, steal it, or force it. Grace is something someone else gives us though we do not deserve it. If I want to receive grace from God and others how can I refuse to be gracious with those I meet?
I have been given stewardship of forgiveness in the absence of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior. Jesus went about His day dolling out forgiveness, healing, and grace to those who did not deserve it. I should do the same. Otherwise, I am a not being faithful with what I have given, I will be accused by my own actions and found to have wasted my master’s goods.
Money, goods, and all material things are ephemeral, things that moth and rust destroy. These are the things of Mammon, things of the World. If I am not faithful in managing these temporal things of little or no consequence, why should I begiven responsibility for things of an eternal nature?
Digging Deeper
Make some kind of material donation today of either $5 or more, or goods to someone who, in your mind does not deserve it. Afterwards, pray about the donation, journal it if you are lead to do so, and commune with the Holy Spirit as to why that donation was made.
