Recently I heard Christian financial expert, David Ramsey say that we were only stewards of God’s wealth.

His statement was in response to the question “Is wealth bad?” Ramsey went on to say that any wealth we obtain is simply being handled by us during our time here.

Ramsey stressed the importance of being responsible stewards of God’s money.

It got me thinking, this just didn’t just apply to wealth but anything we have in this life. Our job, our marriage, our children…and most of all…our life.

That’s right, even our very life here is a gift on loan for us to be responsible stewards.

Everything is a gift from God. We can make the most of that gift or throw it away.

Colossians 3:23 NLT says:

“Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.”

This can be applied at work or at home.

Being a spouse and a parent is not easy. It can be tiring physically, mentally, and emotionally.

It is easy to forget that God gave us that spouse and those children to look after. But as much as we think they are ours…they are God’s.

Like anything given to us, we are entrusted to be responsible stewards of God’s property.

What about your life, skills and talents? They aren’t yours either…well they are, but they have been given to you and they can be taken away.

Job 1:21 is often partially quoted as “The Lord gives and the Lord takes away.”

God wants us to make the best of what we are given.

In the parable of the three servants.

Different amounts of money are entrusted to three different servants while the master is away. All but one servant invests the money and earn more from what they were given. One servant however decides to bury the masters money until He returns.

In verse 24:25-26 NLT the servant says “I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth. Look, here is your money back.’

²⁶ “But the master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy servant!

The master then takes the money from the servant declaring:

“To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away.”

Don’t bury what talents and gifts you have been given.

Instead realize the value of your life while here on earth.

Therefore we should do as Psalm 90:12 NIV says which is to:

Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

That is, wisdom to make the best of the life God gave us.

Although this scripture may sound morbid, it less about what time you have left… and more about what you do with it.

On the contrary, learning to number our days isn’t about losing time… but rather gaining life!

Proverbs 21:21 ESV echoes this by saying:

“Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life…”

The original Hebrew word for “find” in this particular scripture is Matsa, which means to “discover, acquire or attain” life(Strongs 4672)

The Apostle Paul says in Philippians 1:21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”

However I say:

To live for Christ is to die to self…and to die to self is to gain life.

Or as Jesus puts it “life more abundantly”(John 10:10)

And perhaps that is the true purpose of life…To find it.