Stewardship and Grace

The Lord has been revealing more about two concepts that seem to be opposites but actually work together, that is stewardship and grace.  Grace is unmerited favor or I have heard it said an operative power that enables me to do what I cannot do of my own ability.  I believe that God is a gracious God who freely gives, yet some seem to receive and others don't.  Why do certain people seem to accelerate in receiving grace, walking towards their destinies, and living in greater authority?  I have often heard people ask the question, "How do you grow in Grace?".  In the world you grow or advancement by performance or merit, yet we are not "in the world".  In an effort to be "fair" people often make Grace out to be evenly distributed as if equality is the most important in the Kingdom.  The Word of God can hold two ideas that seem at odds with each other as both true (a paradox), for example that "...understand now that God is not one to show partiality." (Acts 10:34) and "For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away." (Matthew 25:29)  God shows no partiality yet the second verse seems to indicate that it does matter how someone stewards what God has given him as to what is entrusted to him in the future.  I have brought these things up because recently I believe Father is challenging me to learn how to steward what He has given (Grace/Unmerited Favor), to see this favor grow and multiply.  I believe that it is the Grace of God that provides us the opportunity to come into the Light and allow the Holy Spirit to show us areas He wants to strengthen or transform.  My grandfather was entrusted with some of the world's resources and spend the end of his life giving into the Kingdom to see it extended, he had learned something about stewardship in his life.  I believe this is part of my spiritual heritage since every good and perfect gift comes from above and my grandfather had a lasting impact on many because of the Grace God had given him.  I seek to honor the Lord on my grandfather's life that I may receive the grace on his life as an inheritance.  Honor does not seek to measure a person's performance but seeks to see who they are "in Christ" without stumbling over their sins, mistakes, or character defects.  Stewardship is not about performance but about faithfulness to the Master with what has been given.  I continue to learn that faithfulness is not doing your best to perform for God but being faithful to trust His direction with what He has entrusted to you.  The video at the beginning of this entry maybe difficult to watch and it may even be harder to agree with Genesis 2:15 that we are to steward over Creation.  We cannot be good stewards without seeking the Face of God and knowing His heart for His people and Creation.  We will be yielded to Him to learn to steward or will we look for that to be someone else's job.

One of Abba's Stewards,
Bret