Stewardship vs. Ownership....which is it?

I came across a person the other day who was passionate about being a steward—a faithful steward.  Their stance was that everything we have is not ours.  They basically said: I understand my role as a steward not as an owner.  But yet…in nearly the same breath the person also spoke about taking complete ownership of the area in which they serve.  We are to OWN that.


How can that be?  Either one is a steward or an owner.


I've often liken the environment in which I work to Oz.  So, one day I mentioned this to a coworker friend of mine and asked his opinion.  I posed the question: how can the position a person takes on stewardship coincide with what Jesus said?


I am come that you might have life and have it more abundantly.


I have given you the keys to the kingdom.


It is the Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.


If we are sons and daughters of God, does that not make us owners?  The Father has given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness.  He has given us all things richly to enjoy.


So...based on stewardship vs. ownership...and Oz, here is my friend's response.


Actually, Oz is a good segue into my answer to your question...“Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!”I 
My point with that is this, without a clear, concrete, measurable standard, men tend to make things up to suite themselves...because we don’t really measure up at the end of the day.

In Oz, the wizard was the one person who could do anything. Even the movie was even named after him! The main theme song was named after him! The main four characters NEEDED him (or so they believed). Yet, when they arrived (finally), it even required a special privilege for them JUST to get in to see him!!! (Sheesh) And after all that, the one being who could do anything, who represented the answer for all things, who should have ALSO taken the responsibility of “stewardship” for being all things to all; was simply just a man, with a (PC-based) projector behind a curtain.

There never was an actual standard of measurement for what the “all Powerful Wizard of Oz” could really do. There was only “the ideal”, based on “how big that floating head was” having all that fire blasting everywhere. That would make anybody say, “Surely he must be able to do anything, right!?!”

Regardless of the title (stewardship vs ownership), the “standard” by which we can begin to measure ourselves remains the same:

Psalm 82

1 God stands in the congregation of the mighty; he judges among the gods.

2 How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? Selah.

3 Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy.
4 Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked.
5 They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course.
6 I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.

As Abraham’s Seed (because we belong to Christ), God’s strategy for prospering and blessing mankind is through the Church. Hence the reason why “all things are ours”. We’re suppose to use all things to be the blessing to all men!

You see, if we were who we are supposed to be, how then can there be a jacked up economy in our midst?

...Sorry...there I go again...moving right along...

We’re held accountable for what we do, by our works, whether they be good or bad. Yet we are instructed to do ALL things in “whose name”? So again, the standard remains the same, “the works that I do shall you do also, and greater shall you do because I go to the Father.” Jesus went about DOING GOOD...

Men tend to hold fast to things which in the end only proves that they actually live behind the curtain of their own making. With a big ol head that produces no GOOD results!

“All that we ‘have’ is not ours but rather they are for our use”
That really sounds good on paper and in theory, but I just want to know where this place is, so I can go set up camp there! (dear father) LOL!!!!

Ownership on the other hand puts us out there for all to see, which now makes us accountable for representing Who and what we truly believe.

The scriptures do say’ “all things are yours”, however it also says, “you are Christ and Christ is Gods”. All things are created by Him, and for Him, and He is before all things, and by Him all things consist!

The “standard” for “us” regarding the communication and distribution of “all things” which concerns mankind is to this end...”That God may be all in all”.

What would Jesus Do (WWJD) may have sold a lot of T-shirts and accessories, but I’m not sure if we’ve ever answered that question or learned how to walk that out yet!