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Stewardship

Care for resources with responsibility, honesty, generosity and limits.

1. 1. Read and discover - Read lesson

   World English Bible

   Matthew 25:14-30

   ¹⁴ “For it is like a man going into another country, who called his own servants and entrusted his goods to them.

   ¹⁵ To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his own ability. Then he went on his journey.

   ¹⁶ Immediately he who received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents.

   ¹⁷ In the same way, he also who got the two gained another two.

   ¹⁸ But he who received the one talent went away and dug in the earth and hid his lord’s money.

   ¹⁹ “Now after a long time the lord of those servants came, and settled accounts with them.

   ²⁰ He who received the five talents came and brought another five talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents. Behold, I have gained another five talents in addition to them.’

   ²¹ “His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’

   ²² “He also who got the two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents. Behold, I have gained another two talents in addition to them.’

   ²³ “His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things. I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’

   ²⁴ “He also who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you that you are a hard man, reaping where you didn’t sow, and gathering where you didn’t scatter.

   ²⁵ I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the earth. Behold, you have what is yours.’

   ²⁶ “But his lord answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant. You knew that I reap where I didn’t sow, and gather where I didn’t scatter.

   ²⁷ You ought therefore to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received back my own with interest.

   ²⁸ Take away therefore the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents.

   ²⁹ For to everyone who has will be given, and he will have abundance, but from him who doesn’t have, even that which he has will be taken away.

   ³⁰ Throw out the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

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   Understanding the passage

   The parable contrasts responses to entrusted goods during an absence; it is not a promise of financial returns.

   Reflect

   • What do the servants do with what they receive, and how do they account for it?

   Put it into practice

   Identify an entrusted resource and an honest way to care for it.

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2. 2. Cultivating and keeping - Read lesson

   World English Bible

   Genesis 2:15

   ¹⁵ The LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate and keep it.

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   Understanding the passage

   Humanity receives a place to cultivate and care for; working the ground is an entrusted task, not a right to exhaust it.

   Reflect

   • What does it mean both to cultivate the land and to care for it?

   Put it into practice

   Reduce waste and care for a resource used daily.

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3. 3. Honesty in exchange - Read lesson

   World English Bible

   Proverbs 11:1

   ¹ A false balance is an abomination to the LORD, but accurate weights are his delight.

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   Understanding the passage

   The scales represent fair transactions; spiritual integrity reaches measurements, prices and information offered.

   Reflect

   • How might the teaching about honest scales apply today?

   Put it into practice

   Review one transaction for transparency and fairness.

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4. 4. Possessions and false security - Read lesson

   World English Bible

   Luke 12:13-21

   ¹³ One of the multitude said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”

   ¹⁴ But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or an arbitrator over you?”

   ¹⁵ He said to them, “Beware! Keep yourselves from covetousness, for a man’s life doesn’t consist of the abundance of the things which he possesses.”

   ¹⁶ He spoke a parable to them, saying, “The ground of a certain rich man produced abundantly.

   ¹⁷ He reasoned within himself, saying, ‘What will I do, because I don’t have room to store my crops?’

   ¹⁸ He said, ‘This is what I will do. I will pull down my barns, build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.

   ¹⁹ I will tell my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years. Take your ease, eat, drink, and be merry.”’

   ²⁰ “But God said to him, ‘You foolish one, tonight your soul is required of you. The things which you have prepared—whose will they be?’

   ²¹ So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

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   Understanding the passage

   The parable challenges accumulation as if possessions guaranteed life; the problem is wealth closed to God and neighbor.

   Reflect

   • Why can accumulating possessions not guarantee the life of the man in the parable?

   Put it into practice

   Review spending or accumulation and consider a way to share.

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5. 5. Giving without coercion - Read lesson

   World English Bible

   2 Corinthians 9:6-8

   ⁶ Remember this: he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly. He who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

   ⁷ Let each man give according as he has determined in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

   ⁸ And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that you, always having all sufficiency in everything, may abound to every good work.

   Read the full chapter

   Understanding the passage

   Paul invites deliberate cheerful giving; generosity must not be pressured or sold as a guaranteed investment.

   Reflect

   • How does Paul describe giving freely and gladly?

   Put it into practice

   Plan sustainable help within your means.