The woman left her water jar and went back to the city. She said to the people, come and see a man who told me everything I have ever done! He cannot be the Messiah, can he? John 4:28-29
Stewardship practice begins by looking at how God has come down to us in love - through creation, baptism, and grace. In our baptisms, we are claimed as God's children and receive God's grace. As such, we are called to love, not just with our words, but with our whole lives. When we practice stewardship, we use all our resources - time, talent, possessions, and financial resources - to love God and our neighbor.
Stewardship transforms God's commandment to love our neighbor as ourselves. God created us as relational beings. We were created in the image of a relational God - a God who has always existed in community - the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. So we are created in relation to God and in relation to one another, not to live independently but within community.
God came down to the woman at the well through Jesus who washed away her sins and cleansed her soul. The woman went to the well to get a jug of water. Instead, she got much more, including a cleansed and refreshed spiritual life. Then she immediately went to her neighbors and used her story to tell others about the living water found in Jesus.
Stewardship is ALL that we do, with ALL that we have, ALL the time. It is everything I do after I say, "I believe."
Go now as stewards of God's abundance; remembering the many ways that God has come down to you; looking in to celebrate all that God has entrusted to your care; and focusing out to do justice for the sake of the neighbor both near and far.
Go in peace; share God's love through stewardship year-round.